Postgame
by Moonrise123
Summary: On the day Thanos snapped his fingers, Emmett, Carlisle, Alice, Jacob, and Edward disappeared leaving their family devastated. The remaining Cullens moved on the best they could. Rosalie is a tech genius, Jasper and Bella are superheroes, Renesmee is engaged, and Esme is the leader of the Volturi. How will the Cullens clean up this mess when their mates return five years later?
1. Chapter 1

"Can you believe he gave me a D?" Bella exclaimed. "Even Jonas Haz, who everyone knows has mashed potatoes for brains, got a B! He didn't even read the stupid play!"

Rosalie smirked. "Maybe you shouldn't have written an essay defending Juliet."

"You're lucky he didn't send you to the guidance counselor's office," Edward said. "He was rather disturbed by the contents of your essay."

"He asked us to write about how Romeo and Juliet made us feel and I did," Bella said. "How can my opinion be wrong?"

"He was right to be concerned," Edward said. "Next time you should skip the part about going cliff-diving after a breakup."

Bella debated launching herself across the table. They were supposed to be a team! She defended him when the math teacher accused him of cheating on the exam. Why couldn't he return the favor for her?

"That won't end well," Alice said. "The table will break and I'll end up with meatloaf in my hair."

"Fine," Bella said. She crumpled up her ink-stain essay and hurled it across the room. They all started laughing when it hit Jonas Haz on the head.

"Hey!" who threw that!" Jonas said as he rubbed the back of his head.

Aside from Bella's essay, things were going well for the Olympic Coven. The Volturi had been quiet for years and no one in town suspected anything odd about the Cullens. Renesmee's growth had slowed to the point that she would be able to attend high school with them after their next move. It was nice to have normal teenage worries like grades and homework.

"Hey Alice," Emmett said. "Is there any chance of a storm tonight? I bet Jonas would appreciate it if Bella stopped using his head for pitching practice."

"I'll check." Alice paused and got a far off look in her eyes. "I don't see anything."

Emmett shrugged. "No big deal. It's not like we're crunched for time. How about next month?"

Alice continued staring off into space.

"Hello, earth to Alice!" Emmett snapped his fingers in front of Alice's face. "Can you hear me?"

Alice looked like she was going to cry.

"What's wrong Alice?" Jasper asked. "Are you okay?"

"I can't see anything," Alice said. "I can't see us, the weather, or what they're serving for lunch tomorrow. It's all blank!"

"Isn't Jacob coming this weekend?" Edward asked Bella. "His presence does tend to mess with Alice's visions."

Bella shook her head. "No, he's still covering for Sam."

Emily had her baby earlier that week. Jacob missed Nessie, but he would never ask Sam to leave Emily alone in the hospital.

"Guys," I don't feel so well," Emmett said.

Even for a vampire, Emmett looked pale.

"Stop screwing around." Rosalie snapped. This isn't funny!"

"Alice!" Jasper shouted. "What's wrong with your hand!"

Bella's eyes widened. Alice's hand was disintegrating like sand in the wind.

"Edward, what's going on!" Bella cried. "Is this some type of Volturi attack!"

Edward opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His tongue had vanished.

Bella wrapped her shield around the table, but it was too late. Emmett, Edward, and Alice disappeared leaving being nothing but piles of ash.

Bella looked around the cafeteria. Half of the student body had been reduced to dust.

"Come on," Bella shouted to Rosalie and Jasper. "We have to get out of here!"

"Where did he go?" Rosalie whimpered, staring at a pile of ash that had once been her husband.

Bella grabbed Rosalie and dragged her towards the exit. "We have to get out of here!"

Rosalie dug in her heels and tried to peel Bella's fingers off her wrist.

"But...But... we can't just leave them!"

Bella didn't want to leave Edward's remains behind, but she didn't have a choice. Whatever happened to her family could take them next. Renesmee couldn't lose both of her parents in one day.

"We have to get out of here," Bella repeated. "They're gone, but we're still alive. We have to get home. Maybe Carlisle will know what's going on."

Rosalie went slack and allowed Bella to lead her out into the hallway. It was a blizzard of ash and screaming students.

"Where's Jasper?" Rosalie asked when they made it out into the parking lot.

Bella cursed and raced back to the cafeteria. She found Jasper underneath the table in the fetal position. He was sucking his thumb and rocking back and forth. Bella grabbed his arm and pulled him out. His face and hands were covered in his wife's ashes.

"Come on Jasper, we have to leave now," Bella said.

"I can't," he whispered. "Not without Alice."

Bella didn't have time to argue with Jasper. She picked him up and carried him out of the school bridal style.

They made it home a few minutes later. Bella entered the house and laid Jasper down on the couch. He hadn't said a single word since they left the school. Much to Bella's relief, she found Esme and Renesmee waiting in the kitchen.

Renesmee swooped Bella up in a bone-crushing hug. "Mom!" she cried. "Grandpa is gone!" She pointed to a pile of ash in Carlisle's favorite chair. "We were talking and he just exploded!"

"Where are Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Edward?" Esme asked.

"Jasper is in the living room. The others are gone.

"It's not just our family," Rosalie said. "It looks like half the town is missing! We passed at least a dozen car accidents on the way here!"

Although she couldn't shed tears, Renesmee looked ready to cry. "What about Grandpa Charlie and Jake? What if they're gone too!"

Bella placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "They're hundreds of miles away. Whatever's happening here couldn't be happening there too."

Unfortunately, Bella was wrong. By the end of the day, they learned that Jacob, Charlie, and half of the world population had vanished. Jasper, being an empath, was crushed under the emotional weight of a mourning planet. He didn't speak or move for weeks. The only thing that kept him alive was Esme bringing him bowls of warm deer blood. She had lost her husband, but she wouldn't let her son starve to death on her watch.

Bella joined Jasper on the couch for a few days. She'd been promised eternity with her family only to have it ripped away by a psychotic alien. She didn't know how she'd go on without Edward, but she had to pull herself together.. With a little help from Rosaline and Esme, Bella got up, went hunting, and took a shower. It wasn't easy or fun, but it was necessary. Renesmee had already lost half her family. She couldn't lose her mother too.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello? Jasper? Bella waved her hand in front of Jasper's face. "You awake?"

Jasper blinked and shook his head. He was as close to being asleep as a vampire could get. His body was present, but his mind had wandered to places far beyond the confines of their living room.

"So which one do you like?" Bella asked.

"Which what?"

Bella sighed and showed Jasper two identical napkins. "Eggshell or cream?"

"Ummm...eggshell?" he pointed to the napkin on the left.

. "That's cream." Rose rolled her eyes. "This is your niece's wedding, the most important of her life! Haven't you been paying attention?"

"Of course." Jasper lied. "Anything for Nessie's big day."

Jasper loved his niece more than anything. He enjoyed teaching her how to hunt, spar, and play Xbox. He'd do anything to make her happy, but planning her wedding was an act of torture that should have been outlawed by the Geneva convention. Who knew how many minuscule decisions went into planning one day. Jasper had already suffered through three months of wedding planning, yet it seemed like there were still a million things to do. If he had his way they'd find a quiet park and be done with it. It was the way his first, and favorite, wedding had been.

. "I wish Alice was here." Rose gave Jasper a pointed look. "She'd actually be useful."

Rose was right. Alice would exactly what shade of white to pick. She'd give Jasper the death stare if he suggested they were both the same.

"I wish Emmett were here," Jasper said with a laugh. "He'd probably find a way to get me out of here."

Jasper missed his brother dearly. Emmett had always found a way to weasel his way out of wedding planning. On one memorable occasion, he utilized fireworks to save Jasper from helping plan wedding number six. Have a water fight while scrubbing scorch marks off the garage door was much more fun than picking table clothes.

Bella laughed. "If Edward were here there probably wouldn't even be a wedding. He'd tell Nessie that she wasn't even allowed to think about marrying until she turned 140."

Jasper wasn't sure if he agreed with Bella. Edward had been pissed when Jacob imprinted on newborn Nessie. There was a chance he'd be happy to see his daughter marrying fellow half-vampire Nahuel instead of a werewolf. Then again, one never knew with Edward. He had quite the flair for the dramatic.

"If Alice were here she'd already be done with the planning," Jasper said. "She'd probably already be working on weddings two and three."

Unlike Edward, Alice would have been thrilled about the upcoming wedding. In her mind, summer wasn't completed without a wedding or two. She rotated through the Cullen couples making each wedding more spectacular than the last. On the day she died, she'd been planning wedding number 13 for Emmett and Rose. Rose's heart broke on the day her wedding dress arrived. The dress was beautiful, but it had no place at her husband's funeral.

Jasper was happy to see that Rose was laughing too. Unlike Bella and him, her grief came in the form of anger. Losing Emmett had put her in a very dark place. Esme Numerous walls and doors had fallen victim to her temper.

"Do you remember the doves? I think that was wedding number ten for you and Alice. Rose said, trying to suppress a laugh.

"How could I forget?" Jasper said. "Do you remember how pissed Alice was when Emmett ate one?

"Alice almost killed him when he coughed up a feather during her vows. Carlise had to reattach both of his arms!"

Bella wrinkled her nose. "He ate a bird?

"Yep." Rose snickered. "Edward bet him five dollars that he couldn't swallow one whole."

"He did?" Bella said with a wrinkled brow. "That doesn't seem like the Edward I knew."

"Edward had his moments," Rose said with a small smile. "He was mad about the outfit Alice made him wear. It was a neon orange leisure suit paired with the ugliest tie I've ever seen. The seventies were a dark time for the fashion world."

"Please tell me you have pictures," Bella said, unable to contain her laughter. "I've got to see this."

"Sorry," Rose said with a shrug. "Edward burned all the pictures."

"Not all of them." Jasper lowered his voice. "I saved one. It's under the floorboards in our room, I'll show you later."

After five years, remembering his wedding days finally brought Jasper more joy than pain. He still missed Alice but had found a way to continue on with life. He'd made new friends, seen new places, and picked up a hobby. Life was good and he was looking forward to what the future would bring. In just three weeks, he'd be taking a trip to Alaska with Bella. He couldn't wait to watch her breath in the fresh mountain air and taste her first grizzly bear.

The laughing subsided and Rose and Bella went back to work. The wedding was less than three months away and there was still so much to do.

"Should we go with chicken or beef for the entree?" Bella asked Rose.

Jasper allowed his mind to wander as Bella and Rose talked about a meal none of them could eat. Little did they know that Nessie didn't care one bit about the napkins, food, or decorations. She'd told him that before she left for school that morning. Nessie said it was just pre-wedding jitters, but Jasper wasn't convinced. Feelings didn't lie. Her joy had faded and her feelings of doubt grew stronger as the big day drew near. Jasper wondered if it would be for the best to put off the wedding for a decade or two. He glanced down at his bare finger. Then again, one never knew what tomorrow would bring.

Jasper's ears perked up when the police scanner in his attic bedroom crackled to life. Much to his disappointment, it was only a routine traffic stop. Nothing the local police couldn't handle.

Bella nudged Jasper. "Guess you're stuck in wedding planning hell."

Bella laughed, but Jasper could tell she was a bit disappointed too. It had been a while they'd had a chance to use their powers. It seemed like every criminal in Chicago had moved away. There hadn't been a single robbery, carjacking, or home invasion in weeks. It was probably a good sign. Chicago would soon need to find a way to do without its favorite superheroes. If the trip to Alaska was a success, they'd be moving into a new home by the end of the summer. It was a relief to know that the Windy City wouldn't burn to the grown the second their plane took off.

Just before Bella could ask Jasper's opinion on plates, the power flickered and went off. Jasper counted to ten and was relieved to hear the hum of the generator turning on. Thank goodness for Rose and her tech. Nessie would have hated to come home to a dark house.

"Do you smell that?" Jasper asked.

He didn't know how it was possible, but it smelled like there was a human in the house.

Rose sniffed the air. Is that a human? How had she gotten past the security system?"

While their home looked like a typical suburban house on the outside, it had better security than Fort Knox. It was built to keep out vampires and anything else that went bump in the night. A lone human wouldn't stand a chance.

Jasper, Bella, and Rose went to investigate. They found a young woman standing in the kitchen. She had a bag of groceries in one arm and a baby in the other.

"Who are you and why are you in our house?" Bella demanded.

"I'm Mallory Dune." the human said, her cheeks crimson. "I think I may have wandered into the wrong house." She chuckled. "Mommy brain I guess."

"Get out!" Rose growled. "You're not welcome here."

The baby started to cry and Mallory hightailed it out of the house.

"Did you see the bag she was holding?" Bella asked.

Yeah, what about it." Rose said.

"It was from Jewel-Osco. That chain went out of business two years ago."

"So," Rose said. "She's probably just some homeless junkie. I bet she found it in a dumpster somewhere."

Jasper didn't agree with Rose. The woman seemed confused and a little scared. It was different than the desperation and sadness that clung to drug addicts.

The police scanner one again crackled to life.

"Pedestrian struck on Michigan avenue!

"Multiple home invasions in progress!"

"Multi-Car pile up! Multiple trapped victims!

Jasper looked at Bella with wide eyes. What the hell was going on in the city? Things had been going so well. Had the peace they'd experienced been nothing but the eye of the hurricane of chaos that was Chicago?

"What are you guys waiting for?" Rose asked. "Go! Your city needs you!"

Jasper and Bella flipped back the faces of their watches and pressed the tiny silver buttons. Their skin was immediately covered in reflective silver fabric. Maybe it wasn't quite time for the Silver Bullets to leave town. It was certainly going to be an interesting day for Chicago's most popular crime-fighting team.

Bella and Jasper rushed outside while Rose headed downstairs to the command center. They headed to Michigan avenue where at least two dozen cars were involved in a fiery accident. Jasper hoped Rose had managed to perfect the flame retardant in their suits. He couldn't afford to lose any more toes. They raced to the first car. Had Jasper's heart been pumping it would have skipped a beat. The driver was slumped over the steering wheel. Two boys were wailing in the back seat. To make matters worse, Jasper could smell gas leaking from the engine.

"You get the driver and I'll get the kids," Bella said.

Jasper peeled the roof of the car bad like a soup kid. He tossed the driver over his shoulder and Bella did the same with the kids.

Jasper set the driver down in the grass a safe distance away from the cars.

"What happened," Jasper asked in a robotic voice.

"My kids."The driver coughed and opened his eyes. "Where are they?"

Bella set the kids down at his side. "What happened?" She said,

"I don't know." The driver said, tears in his eyes. "They just appeared in the middle of the road."

Bella and Jasper moved through the accident car by car saving who they could and saying a prayer for those who were gone. The first driver's story was repeated by each victim. A large crowd, at least fifty or so people, appeared in the middle of the road. They swerved to avoid the pedestrians and crashed into other cars. Jasper didn't know what to make of it. Was it a flash mom gone wrong or something more sinister. One never knew with Chicago.

"Where do we go next, Rose?" Bella asked over the comm system when after they cleared the last car.

"You guys are going to need to split up," Rose said.

"Why?" Jasper said. "What's going on!"

Jasper and Bella had become inseparable over the last five years. They did everything as a team. Separating, even for a few minutes, caused his anxiety to peak. No way was he sending her on a mission alone.

"I'm not sure what's happening, but it's an A-level threat," Rose said. "There are Fires, home invasions, and car accidents happening all over the city."

There had only been one A-level, or Avengers level, threat since they moved to Chicago. A bombing and subsequent fire started by Fist, a terrorist group, destroyed nearly half of the city. Jasper and Bella were lucky to make it out of the battle alive.

Bella put her hand on Jasper's shoulder. "I'll be okay. Trust me, this won't be like last time. We're more experienced and have much better tech."

Jasper trusted Bella more than anyone in the world. If anyone could save the city it was her.

"Okay," Jasper said quietly. "Be careful."

"Jasper, you head to Lincoln Park Zoo," Rose said. "Bella, head to Michigan Avenue. There's a home invasion in progress."

Jasper ran towards the zoo putting out fires and saving car accident victims along the way. He made it to the zoo and found a pair of lions loose in the food court.

Although his venom pooled at the thought of an exotic treat, there wasn't time for lunch. The city needed him. He snapped their necks and headed off to the next emergency.

Jasper took a moment to compose himself after tossing a burning fuel tanker into a swimming pool. Without Bella's shield to protect him, he started to feel the onslaught of human emotions. Much to his surprise, he felt more than pain and fear. He felt bliss, the kind of happiness kids feel on Christmas morning. How could that be true when it seemed like the world was once again coming to an end?  
"Guys," Rose said over the comm system. "I think you should come home now."

"What's happening?" Jasper asked. "Terrorist attack? Alien invasion?"

"Come home," Rose repeated.

Rose, who was usually bombproof, sounded scared. Whatever was happening had to be bad.

"We're coming, Rose," Bella said. "Just hold on."

Jasper raced towards home and hoped this wouldn't be their final mission.


	3. Chapter 3

Edward opened his eyes and immediately hit the floor. He had the worst hangover of his life which was odd given he hadn't had alcohol in over a hundred years. He tried to recall the last few minutes. Had there been a fight? He remembered Bella and Rose shouting then Jasper diving under the table. No, that wouldn't make sense. Jasper was a warrior, a veteran of the civil war, he wasn't fazed by Rose and Bella bickering. There had to be a more rational explanation.

Edward thought a little harder and remembered feeling sick, almost like he was drifting away from his body. How could that be right? As immortals, vampires didn't get sick. He looked to his right and saw Emmett and Alice. They were also laying on the ground with their faces twisted in pain.

"What happened?" Alice said, her eyes squeezed shut. "My head hurts."

"Rose," Emmett groaned. "What happened? Where's the table?"

With great difficulty, Edward rolled over to check on Bella. Much to his dismay, his wife was missing.

"Bella!" Edward called, ignoring the pounding in his head. "Bella where are you?"

He sniffed the air. He smelled many things, none of which were Bella. It was as if she had never entered the building.

"Where's Jasper," Alice asked. "I need him."

"Edward, what's going on? Emmett asked. "I can't find Rose!"

Edward was immediately worried. Vampires were happiest when in the presence of their mates. Abandoning one's mate, especially in a crisis, was unthinkable. He couldn't imagine a scenario in which Bella, Jasper, and Rose would disappear without saying anything.

Edward had to figure out what was going on. He tuned into the minds around him. The sound was full of static, like a cellphone with bad reception.

"What happened...uggg..my head."

"Is that Drew...it can't...he's supposed to be…"

"What the...where did she come from…"

"Edward!" Alice exclaimed. "Something's wrong with Jasper! I can't see his future!"

Edward continued scanning minds.

"Not again...Avengers…"

"Michael...miracle!"

"Who are those sparkly guys?"

That last thought caused Edward to sit straight up. He saw a bank of windows that hadn't been there a few minutes ago. Sunlight was streaming into the room causing his skin to sparkle.

"Emmett! Alice!" Edward said too quietly for humans to hear. "We need to get out of here! The sun!"

Alice looked at her arm. It was sparkling like a disco ball. "I don't understand," she stammered. "I checked this morning! It's supposed to be cloudy all week!"

They rushed out of the cafeteria and into the hallway. Edward still couldn't smell Jasper, Rose, or Bella. He still didn't know what was going on, but he knew it was bad, really bad. He led his siblings towards the abandoned band room to hide. Much to his surprise, the dusty instruments had been replaced by rows of computers.

"What the heck is going on! This wasn't here this morning!"Emmett said, staring at a computer that was no thicker than a piece of paper. The district had been forced to cut funding for art and band years ago. How had they come up with the money for a new computer lab?

"Can you see him now?" Edward asked Alice.

Alice shook her head.

"How about Bella or Rose? Emmett asked.

No," Alice whispered. "It's all blank"

"It's okay," Edward said. "They probably got spooked and ran when the sun came out."

Edward was worried but had to stay calm for the sake of his siblings. Alice's visions could be fickle at times. They were probably being blocked by indecision or the presence of Jacob Black. He didn't even want to think about the other thing that brought Alice's visions to an end.

"Could this be a Volturi attack?" Emmett asked.

"I don't think so," Alice said. "I've been watching them. They're hunting down a band of newborns killing hikers in France."

The smell of cigarette smoke and stale pizza drifted across the room.

Edward noticed Connor Smitt, a freshman wanna be gangster, cowering under a desk. Alice predicted Connor would be headed to jail rather than college. While not all of her visions came true, Edward believed that one was spot on. Connor was already skipping school, bullying classmates, and selling dope. It wasn't hard to imagine him behind bars.

"Leave!" Edward hissed. "Now!"

Connor had learned early on that the Cullens were not be trifled with. He bumped his head on the table, scrambled to his feet, and ran out of the room. His thoughts were a mess of curse words and panic. Edward hoped he hadn't heard too much. He hated to take a life, but wouldn't hesitate to snap Connor's neck to protect his family's secret.

"I think we should go home," Edward said. "If we go fast and stick to the woods we should be able to make it there unseen."

"What about Rose, Bella, and Jasper? Emmett asked. "What if they're still in the school somewhere? We can't leave without them!"

"They'll be fine," Edward said. "I bet they're already waiting for us at home."

They raced towards home and found Carlisle standing at the edge of the forest.

"Carlisle!" Alice exclaimed. "Something terrible happened at school! Bella, Jasper, and Rose are missing!"

"I know." He said softly. "Whatever happened wasn't limited to your school."

"We have to tell Nessie and Esme," Emmett said. "Maybe they knew where the others are."

Emmett took a step towards the house only to be stopped by Carlisle.

"They're not in there," Carlisle said. "I wasn't even able to pick up on their scents. It's like they haven't been there in years."

Edward was concerned by the outward appearance of the house. There were three broken windows and the roof was missing several shingles. It looked like a haunted house, not the home he'd grown to love. Esme loved designing beautiful places for them to live. She would never have allowed things to get that bad.

"I'd still like to take a look inside," Edward said. "Maybe they left a clue about where they were going."

"It isn't pretty," Carlisle said. "It looks like there may have been a break-in."

They entered the house with caution. There was a basketball-sized hole in the living room ceiling and most of the furniture was damaged or missing. Edward sniffed the couch where Bella had braided Nessie's hair earlier that morning. He couldn't smell either of them. He was starting to panic. Where was his family?

Edward went upstairs to look for clues in the bedroom he shared with Bella. The bed was missing and the bookshelves had been smashed. His carefully curated music collection and Bella's books had been taken. He opened the closet where they kept their clothes. His clothes smelled of mildew, but they were still there. Other than a few flashy outfits purchased by Alice, Bella's half was empty. He grabbed the dress Bella had worn on their most recent date. It didn't even smell like her anymore. How was that possible?

He went across the hall to Nessie's room. Everything, including the posters on the walls and the curtains, was gone. Venom pooled in his mouth. How dare someone entered the house and steal from his daughter? He sniffed the air hoping to catch the scent of the burglars. All he could detect was mold, dust, and a few rodents. Whoever had done this taken great pains to hide their scent.

Edward returned to the living room where Alice, Emmett, and Carlisle were waiting.

"Did you find anything?" he asked.

"No," Emmett said. "Our room was empty for the most part."

"I found something interesting." Carlisle showed Edward a faded magazine. Esme received dozens of home improvement magazines just like it every month. Edward didn't see what was so interesting about that

Edward grabbed the magazine to take a closer look. It was water damaged and badly faded, but he could still make out the date. It was marked April 1, 2019.

"Could it be a misprint?" Edward asked. "That date hasn't even happened yet."

"I don't think so," Alice said. "I think Carlisle is right, they haven't been here in years."

Edward scanned the living room. The TV was still there, but all their family pictures were missing. No thief would pass up a flat-screen in favor of Nessie's baby photos.

"Was there anything missing from your rooms? Edward asked. "My music, our books, and most of Bella's clothing were missing."

"It was the same in our room," Alice said. "Most of my stuff was still there, but Jasper's stuff was gone. I don't think this was a robbery. No one would want Jasper's old socks or our wedding albums."

"Did you notice Nessie's tree?" Carlisle asked.

Edward looked out into the backyard. Nessie had planted an apple tree the previous summer. It was in full bloom and had quadrupled in size That wasn't supposed to happen for a few more years.

"I don't know how or why, but I think more than a day has passed. If I had to guess it's been a least five years. Edward said. "There's no telling what's happened since then."

"They probably think we're dead," Emmett said. "Rose is going to kill me when she finds out I'm still alive."

The greatest regret of Edward's life was breaking up with Bella. He was only gone for a few months, but Bella had barely survived. How would she have responded to his death? Would she have attempted to end her own life or carried on for the sake of their daughter? He hoped it was the latter of the two options. He couldn't bear the thought of living in a world without the love of his life.

Alice voiced what everyone was thinking.

"What if we don't find them," she said softly. "I still can't see any of them."

"They're strong and resourceful. I'd been my car on them still being alive." Carlisle said firmly. "We will find them. Even if we have to spend the next hundred years searching."


	4. Chapter 4

Rose took off her headphones and leaned back in her chair. She hoped telling her siblings to come home was the right decision. It had been a horrific day of nonstop 911 calls pouring in from around the city. Jasper and Bella didn't know it, but she'd been forced to pick which calls to accept and which to ignore. Even at vampire speed, they couldn't save everyone who was in danger. Rose would never forget the voices of those who cried out for help that wasn't coming.

Rose started fiddling with her wedding ring. She'd thrown a fit when Emmett gave it to her. She was livid that after fifty years of marriage he still didn't know that she preferred silver over gold. She gave him the silent treatment for over a month. The last five years had shown Rose the error of her ways. She'd been forced to get off her high horse and made decisions with life or death consequences. Things like designer clothes, makeup, and jewelry didn't seem so important anymore. She hoped that for just one day the impossible would be possible. She had a lot of things to apologize for.

Rose heard Nessie stomping down the stairs. She switched off the radio before Nessie could hear that the world was once again falling apart. Nessie approached Rcoe's with a scowl on her face.

"I'm done with the things you asked me to do," Nessie growled. "Is there anything else?" The darkness in her eyes warned that there had better not be anything else. Rose had instructed her to pack them each a bag, vacuum all the bedrooms, and load the dishwasher. Rose looked around the room at her monitors and half-completed projects. While she was tempted to ask Nessie to change the sheets on Bella's bed. Rose liked her things and didn't want to see them smashed.

"No, that's all," Rose said. "You can go ahead and have a seat."

Nessie took a seat on the couch. "How are mom and Jasper doing?"

"Busy."

Nessie leaned forward with a wide smile on her face. "Do you think they need any help? I could take a few calls if they're being spread too thin."

"Graduation isn't until June," Rose said firmly. "You know the rule. No crime-fighting without a high school diploma."

"That's only three months away," Nessie said. "I'm not a little kid anymore. If I'm old enough to get married I'm old enough to protect the city!"

As far as Rose was concerned, Nessie would never be old enough to smell the blood of murder victims or hear the screams of a dead child's mother. Rose was over a hundred yet some days still left her feeling shaken.

" I know it won't be fun or easy, but I'm ready," Nessie said. "Uncle Jasper sees that. Why can't you and mom?"

"You're just not ready yet," Rose said. "There's still a lot you don't understand."

Nessie didn't know it, but there was a time not so long ago when Rose agreed with Jasper. Nessie had excelled in sparring lessons and weapons training. Rose had even made her a suit. Then everything changed. Rose learned the hard way that it only took one wrong move for things to go catastrophically wrong. She didn't want Nessie to feel the fear of being surrounded by fire and the pain of losing a limb. Rose and Bella hoped the wedding would distract her, but Nessie had only become more eager to join the family business. Like it or not, the Silver Bullet team would soon have a fourth member.

Nessie let out a long sigh. "Will you at least tell me what's going on?"

Rose hesitated before answering. "We should wait for your mom and Jasper."

Nessie looked her aunt in the eye," Tell me what's going on. Don't tell me nothing, we both know that's a lie."

"To be honest, I'm not sure."

While not the answer Nessie was looking for, it was the truth. Rose didn't know for sure what was going on. The events of that day couldn't be explained by science or reason. Nessie had seen a man appear in the middle of the road on her way back from school. Rose had explained him away as yet another suicidal human, but Nessie didn't seem to buy it. All Rose could do was distract her with chores until the rest of the team got home.

"Come on Aunt Rose, please?" Nessie begged. "I'm not a kid anymore. I can handle whatever's happening."

"We should wait for your mom and Jasper."

Nessie crossed her arms. "Fine."

Thankfully, Nessie didn't have to wait long. Jasper and Bella came running inside.

"What happened?" Bella asked as she retracted her suit. "Why did you ask us to come back?"

"The streets are still a mess," Jasper said. "This is an A-level threat. We need to get back out there!"

Bella turned to Nessie. "Have you done your homework yet?"

. "No," Nessie's nostrils flared. "I'm pretty sure the city tearing itself to shreds earns me a night off from calculus."

"Upstairs," Bella glared at her daughter. "Now."

"No,"

Jasper saw the writing on the wall and started blanketing the room in calm. "Nessie," Jasper said softly. "I think you should go upstairs. I'll come to talk to you in a few minutes.

Nessie grumbled but complied. If anyone could get through to her it was Jasper. After Edward died, Jasper became like a father to Nessie. He helped with her homework, took her hunting, and inspired a love of history. He was the first person Nessie went to when something was bothering her. Rose wondered what would happen if Edward came back. Would Nessie embrace the father she'd lost or remain loyal to the one who'd taught her how to survive in a harsh new world?

. Rose waited until she heard Nessie's bedroom door slam to share her theory.

. "I know this may sound crazy, but hear me out." Rose stood up and started pacing. "I think the people you've been rescuing are the people who died during the blip."

. "That can't be possible."Jasper shook his head. "Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds? Something is going on, but not that. As much as I wish it were true, people don't just come back from the dead."

. "I agree that it's crazy, but it's the only thing that makes any sort sense," Bella said. "The calls we've been getting today have been insane." She sat down on the couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table. "I realized something weird was happening when I responded to a call from City bank. I found three kids stuck in the vault."

"So what," Jasper said. "We've responded to dozens of calls there. Remember that teenager who ended up with a broken ankle?"

That call was one of Rose's all-time favorites. Jared Smith, a senior at the local reformed school, attempted to break into the bank through the skylight. Unfortunately for him, the glass wasn't made to support more than the weight of a few pigeons. They caught him trying to hobble out of the building with a badly injured ankle. He didn't realize that the hundred dollar bills he'd stolen from the manager's office were fakes meant to be burned in an upcoming commercial. He ended up with a broken ankle and a slot on the next episode of America's Dumbest Criminals.

"This was different," Bella said. "The kids I found couldn't have been more than ten or eleven. There's no way they could have gotten in there on their own."

"You'd be surprised," Jasper said. "Criminals are getting younger every year. A nine-year-old in Englewood stole a school bus and went for a joy ride."

Rose tapped a few keys on her computer. Jasper was the kind of person who needed proof to believe. Rose was willing and able to provide that proof. The recording started playing. Rose had already listened to it twice, yet it still sent shivers down her spine.

"911 what is your emergency?"

"There's someone in my house! He says this is his house now!"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "He sounds delusional. They really shouldn't have decriminalized meth."

Rose shushed him. "Keep listening."

"Sir, can you tell me what year it is?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Sir, please answer the question."

"2018. Happy now? Now send the police or I'll take things into my own hands!"

"Sir, leave the property immediately!"

Rose stopped the recording before the caller had a chance to take things into his own hands.

"The same thing happened over on Michigan Avenue," Bella said. "An elderly man showed up in a locked apartment. I thought he having a senior moment when he said it was his apartment."

"I also did some research into Lincoln Park Zoo," Rose said. "They haven't had any big cats since 2018. Do you know what they did with the area that used to be the lion pen?"

"They built a food court," Jasper whispered. "I took Nessie there last summer."

"Do you believe me now?" Rose asked. "I give you more proof, but I suspect you already know there's something weird going on."

"No, I'm good." Jasper bit his lip. "I think I need to sit down for a few minutes."

Jasper collapsed onto the couch next to Bella. He laid his head on Bella's shoulder and went silent. Rose hoped it wouldn't be like last time. Alice wouldn't be happy if she had to spend the next three months spoon feeling a catatonic vampire.

"Are _they_ back?" Bella asked as she rubbed Jasper's back.

"I don't know," Rose said. "I haven't heard anything from them."

"What about Alice?" Jasper said. "She could have a vision of our location."

"I've been deciding to read a letter with our address on it every 30 minutes, but they haven't shown up."

"What do we do now?" Jasper squeezed Bella's hand.

"Maybe one us should run back to the house in Oregon," Bella suggested. They're going to panic if they find the house empty."

Rose ran her fingers through her cropped short hair. "They've probably already seen the house. It's going to be a nightmare to find them if they've left the area to search for us. We should never have canceled their cellphone service."

"Try Jacob's phone," Nessie said. "I reactivated his phone on a separate account. I've been paying for it with my allowance money."

Rose wasn't sure if she should be mad or impressed. Nessie had managed to sneak up on three vampires. Maybe Nessie was ready. She would be an incredible asset on stealth missions.

You guys might think it's silly, but I dial Jacob's number when I'm feeling sad. It makes me feel better to here the recording of his voice." Nessie looked down at the floor. "Sometimes I even leave him messages."

Bella placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "It's not silly at all. I used to send emails to your father."

Rose didn't need to ask why Bella's emails had stopped. It was as clear as the missing rings on her and Jasper's fingers.

"Have you been thinking about calling him today?" Rose asked.

"Yes," Nessie said. "It's his birthday today."

Rose couldn't believe she'd forgotten the significance of April 26. No wonder Nessie had been in a rotten mood before school. Picking a wedding cake must have been excruciating when she was thinking about the chocolate cake she never got to make for Jacob's birthday.

"If I know Jacob, and I do, he'd run right here the second you called," Bella said. "That's probably what's blocking Alice's visions."

"Why don't you try calling him now," Rose suggested. "We need to know one way or another."

Nessie unlocked her phone and dialed Jacob's number with shaky hands. They all held their breath as the phone rang. Rose prayed he would pick up. Nessie had been through enough. False hope, even for a minute, would do irreparable harm.


	5. Chapter 5

Jacob woke up feeling like he'd been hit by a truck. He was laying belly up with the sun shining directly into his eyes. It took him a minute to recall why he'd selected the driveway of all places for an afternoon nap. Curling up on a bed of gravel and dead leaves had done a number on his already sore muscles. As much as he hated to admit it, Bella had been right. His body needed more than rushed meals and catnaps. He'd never hear the end of it when the Cullen's found out he'd fainted. Jacob struggled to his feet and nearly collapsed a second time. His car and the house were both gone. The only things left were scorched timbers and bits of twisted metal.

Jacob raced across the overgrown lawn. It had to be a horrible nightmare. The house couldn't have burned down without him noticing. He could hear a bird chirp from a mile away. The smell of smoke and the crackle of flames would have woken him up in an instant.

"Dad!" Jacob shouted. "Where are you!"

Age and diabetes had left his father with limited mobility. Even on good days getting out of the house was a struggle. Escaping a house fire unaided would have been impossible.

Jacob started digging through the rubble where his father's bedroom had once been.

"Dad!" Jacob cried. "Are you here! Call out!"

The only sound Jacob could hear was the wind rattling a loose piece of siding. He sniffed the air and was dismayed to find that his father's scent had vanished.

When it became clear that there were no bodies in the house, Jacob ventured out into the backyard to look for clues. The yard was overrun with weeds and the tree line was all wrong. He'd been working on his car before he fainted. An oil leak had caused the engine to overheat. Could he have been disoriented by the fumes and wandered into another person's yard?

Jacob ducked behind a tree and stripped off his clothes. If anyone knew what was going on, it was his pack members. As the official protectors of La Push, it was their job to investigate any supernatural threats to the tribe. They were sure to know the cause of a mysterious house fire.

Jacob phased and was imminently bombarded by unfamiliar voices.

"Guys, something weird just happened."

"What's wrong Nate."

"My parents are here."

"Dream on Whitefeather, your parents are dead as a doornail."

Jacob couldn't believe his ears. Nathan Whitefeather was only twelve years old. The wolf gene didn't activate in those younger than fourteen.

"He's right, something happened. My dad just showed up on the couch."

"This better not be more Avengers crap!"

"Come to my house," said Seth. "This is an A-level threat."

"Not again," Nate said. My nose is still crooked from last time!"

"Come to my house," Seth repeated. "Now!"

While Jacob was relieved to hear a familiar voice, he was a bit confused. Seth was using alpha commands. Something crazy must have happened if Seth, the youngest member of the pack, was calling all the shots.

"Seth, what's going on?"Jacob asked. "Why are you using alpha commands?"

"Who are you?" Seth demanded.

"Jacob Black," Jacob said slowly. "I'm here covering for Sam, remember?"

Seth could be a bit scatterbrained at times, but could he really have forgotten that Jacob was back in town? There had been a party at First Beach to celebrate his long-awaited return. Jacob doubted Seth would ever forget throwing up after Paul dared him to eat three full bags of marshmallows.

"Jacob? Seth?" Leah said. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Who are all these extra people in the pack? Paul asked.

"Something weird is going on," Jared said. "I went to Kim's house and she slammed the door in my face! It was like she was afraid of me."

Jared had recently asked Kim to marry him. She said yes and they spent the next week grinning like fools. They'd already started planning a summer wedding at First Beach. Jacob hoped Kim wasn't having second thoughts. It would break Jared to lose his soulmate.

"Guys! I need you at the beach," Quil shouted. "I fell asleep and now Claire is missing!"

Quil was probably the world's best babysitter. He was willing to come over 24/7 and never accepted a dime. He'd throw himself in front of a truck to protect Claire. There was no way he'd take his eyes off her for a single second. Falling asleep on the job was less likely that the pack learning how to fly.

"Everyone come to my house now!" Seth shouted.

Jacob was shocked by Seth's behavior. Claire was only six years old. She could be in real danger if she ended up in the water. Going to Seth's house first would cost them valuable time.

"I'm going to the beach," Jacob said. "Whatever you want can wait until we've found Claire."

"Claire's fine," Seth said. "She's at Emily's house."

Sam and Emily's house was nearly five miles away from the beach. There was no way Claire could find the way there on her own. Could someone have found Claire wandering and returned her to her family?

"I can smell her. She's here." Sam confirmed. "Emily won't let me into the house to check on her though. I think she might be mad at me for falling asleep in the garage."

It had been a rough few days for Sam and Emily. Their newborn daughter, Anna, spent all of her waking hours crying. She wouldn't sleep without being held. As expected, Sam and Emily had a few minor arguments. However, they always resolved things by the end of the day. Jacob couldn't imagine a scenario in which Emily would be mad enough to lock Sam out of their house.

"Please, just come to my house," Seth said. "I'll explain everything when you get here."

It wasn't an alpha command, but Jacob complied. The poor guy sounded terrified. Jacob hoped whatever was going on wasn't too horrific. A week away from Nessie had been hard enough. The last thing he needed was to spend the next month tracking another bloodthirsty vampire.

Jacob arrived at the Clearwater house and found at least two dozen wolves on the lawn. The pack had doubled in less than a day. He was shocked to see what appeared to be John Gray, Thomas Aki, and Peter Yut among the crowd. He'd seen the three thirteen-year-olds having a squirt gun battle earlier that morning. The boys had barely come up to Jacob's waist. How could they have grown over three feet in a day? Something strange was happening in La Push. Jacob was glad that Nessie was safe and sound in Oregon.

Seth returned to his human form and the rest followed suit.

"Hey, guys." Seth started with a slight quiver in his voice. "Thank you all for coming. It's nice to see you all again." He swayed and plopped down on the grass. " I'd like to start by catching you up on a few things that have been going on lately."

Seth looked like he was about to lose his lunch. His face was pale and he was working up a sweat. Jacob decided to give him a few days off from patrolling. The last thing they needed was to find him passed out in the woods.

"First and foremost., you've all done a great job raising money for the families of Arrow street." Seth smiled at the younger wolves. "We should be able to start rebuilding by the end of next month. "

Jacob's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his neighborhood. "What happened on Arrow street?"

"We can talk about that later," Seth said. "There are more important things to talk about, like Ocean Park. The grass needs mowing and the playground equipment needs to be rebuilt."

Jacob was seething. Seth had brushed him off like a kindergartener talking out of turn in class. Who cared about First Beach Park? That place had always been a dump where the local teens went to drink. They had many more important things to discuss like why his house had been reduced to ash.

"I'd also like to talk about 's garden." Seth continued. "The weeds are getting a bit out of control. They'll need to be cleared before the tulips sprout. Do I have any volunteers? "

All the younger boys raised their hands.

Seth nodded. "Good. I'll tell him we'll be there first thing tomorrow."

Jacob exchanged a bewildered look with Quil. Why on earth would they help that cranky old man? They'd recently discovered that Mr. White was the one hiding bear traps in the woods. One of the traps had nearly taken Quil's leg off. Jacob wondered if he'd been spending too much time away from the pack. La Push appeared to be falling apart at the seams.

"Quit with the boy scout act, Clearwater," Paul shouted. "What the hell is going on?"

Seth swallowed hard. "I think you should sit down."

Paul was barely willing to take orders from Sam. There wasn't a chance in the world he'd listen to a guy two years his junior.

Paul marched up to Seth and poked him in the chest. "I want answers! Now!"

Seth took a step back. "Okay. Okay. Fine." He took a deep breath. "There's no way of sugar-coating this. The entire pack, minus me, died five years ago. The kids in the tribe replaced you as they came of age."

Paul started laughing. "So what does that make me, a ghost? Oooo so spooky!

"Sit down," Seth said. It was an alpha command that time. Like it or not, Paul had to obey.

"I'm not goofing around," Seth said firmly. "You guys, and half of all life, died five years ago. I'm not sure how it's possible, but you're all back now."

"That's not funny." Leah snapped. "People don't come back from the dead. Tell us what's going on!"

Jacob's phone started playing the Powerpuff Girls theme song. Nessie was calling. He rose to his feet and jogged a few yards away from the group to give himself the illusion of privacy.

He picked up the phone on the last ring. "What's up Nessie", he said, happy for the distraction.

"Jacob," the voice on the phone gasped. "Is it really you?"

"Who is this? Bella?"

"No, it's me, Nessie."

Nessie didn't sound like herself. She sounded a lot like Bella when she'd been crying. Jacob's wolf stirred at the possibility of Nessie being upset. He'd tear whatever made her cry to shreds.

"What's wrong, are you okay?" Jacob asked

"I'm fine. Are you okay?"

Jacob debated telling her about the insanity going on in La Push but decided that could wait.

"I'm fine. I'm at Seth's house with the pack."

"Hey Jacob," Nessie said. "Can you go to my house and see if my Grandpa is there?"

"Why? Jacob said with his heart beating like a drum. "Are you hurt? Where are you?"

"I'm okay. I'm at my house in Chicago."

Jacob's thoughts immediately went to Edward. Edward had been pissed when he found out Jacob had feelings for Bella. There wasn't even a word to describe how angry he'd been when Jacob imprinted on his newborn daughter. While he still wasn't thrilled about the imprint, Edward had come to tolerate Jacob as the years went by. He didn't protest when Esme gave him a bedroom in their new house. Had Edward changed his mind and ran off with his daughter?

Jacob's phone buzzed to indicate that the battery was down to 5%.

"Nessie, please tell me what's going on," Jacob begged. "My phone is almost out of battery."

"I'm texting you my address," Nessie said.

The text said 124 Twilight Avenue Chicago, IL. It would take Jacob all night to cover that kind of distance. Anything could happen to Nessie by then.

"Before you come here, go to my house in Oregon," Nessie said. I need to know if the rest of my family is there." She paused before adding, "One more thing, don't listen to the voicemails I left on your phone."

"Nessie, why do I- '' Jacob was cut off mid-sentence when his phone ran out of battery. Why was it that his phone always died when he needed it the most? Jacob threw his phone at a tree and watched it shatter into a million pieces. He didn't waste a second more before phasing and running at full speed towards Oregon. He ignored Seth's pleas to come back. Alpha commands had no hold over him when Nessie was in danger.


	6. Chapter 6

Nessie set her phone down with shaky hands. She'd just spoken to a dead man. Jacob hadn't been vampire dead, he'd been real coffins and tombstones dead. If what they hoped was true, she'd be talking to four more beings who were supposed to be dead by the end of the night. Her economics teacher always said nothing in life was certain but death and taxes. Death certainly wasn't certain. What was next? Would Uncle Sam call it quits and tell everyone to keep their money?

Nessie's legs felt like they were made out of jelly. She staggered over to the couch and collapsed next to her mother. Her mother started rubbing her back like she had when Nessie had nightmares as a child. Nessie could feel Uncle Jasper sending her waves of calm. For once, she didn't mind him manipulating her emotions. Now wasn't the time for a panic attack. Nessie knew the worst was yet to come. Her family would be there soon and all hell would break loose.

"Go upstairs and make a cake," her mother said after a few minutes had passed. "Jacob and the others should be here soon."

Jasper couldn't fully counteract the anger bubbling up in Nessie's chest. She wanted to scream. She was a half-vampire ready to take on the world, not a six-year-old working on a girl scout badge. If Nessie was old enough to get married she was old enough to stick around while they figured out how to resolve yet another Cullen crisis.

"Please", her mother begged. "I need to talk to your aunt and uncle for a few minutes."

Uncle Jasper cranked up the calm making Nessie too tired for another fight.

"Okay," Nessie said as she slowly rose to her feet.

Nessie cracked an egg into the mixing bowl with a little more force than necessary. The egg shattered, sprinkling the batter with shards of shell. She didn't bother picking them out. Jacob was more of an inhaler than a chewer and her teeth could cut through bone. Besides, the fridge was still stuffed with food samples from the caterer. Jacob could feel free to help himself to an assortment of food being chosen for a wedding where most of the guests preferred deer blood.

Nessie had just put the cakes in the oven when the doorbell rang. She dropped her oven mitts and ran to the front door. She couldn't decide who to hug first. She'd missed them all so much. She unlocked each of the six deadbolts and pulled the reinforced steel door open. Much to her disappointment, it wasn't her missing family at the door. What was Nahuel doing back so soon? Nessie was banking on him being gone for at least two more weeks. She needed more time to sort out what her mother called pre-wedding jitters.

Nessie quickly set her disappointment aside. Even for a half-vampire, Nahuel looked pale. He was shaking like a leaf and looked like he'd been crying. His hair was wild and his torn clothes were streaked with mud. It wasn't like him to arrive looking anything but his best.

"Nahuel, what happened?" Nessie asked. "Are you okay?"

Nahuel didn't waste a single second before wrapping Nessie up in a tight hug. Nessie had been mistaken. His clothes were burned not torn. He smelled like a mixture of gasoline, burning meat, and smoke. Had he been in some type of horrific accident? Why hadn't he called for help? He knew Nessie would have dropped everything to save him.

Nessie wiggled out of his grasp "What happened? What are you doing back so soon?"

Nahuel flashed Nessie a weak smile. "What? Can't a guy come home early to see his beautiful soon to be bride?"

Nahuel had been in South America for nearly a week. After a decade of begging, he still hadn't convinced his aunt Huilen to give North America a chance. Nahuel would just have to settle for twice-yearly visits. Nahuel invited Nessie along, but she turned him down citing upcoming midterms and wedding planning. Anything was better than telling him she needed some time to herself.

Nahuel's smile faltered. "Aren't you glad to see me?"

"Of course I am," Nessie said.

She touched the singed hem of his shirt. "What happened."

"There was a car accident," Nahuel said softly. "I tried to..it just...there was so much blood." He took a deep breath and turned around. "I shouldn't have come here. I should...I should leave."

While Nessie wanted to know what happened, she didn't push for further details. Nahuel had been though enough for one day and the worst was still to come. The accident wasn't his fault but Nessie knew he would blame himself. She'd seen her mother do the same when missions didn't have a positive outcome. Nahuel would need the support of the people who loved him. There wasn't a chance she was sending him back to his empty apartment.

"Please don't go," Nessie said. "Come inside and get cleaned up."

Nahuel looked down at the rust-colored spots on his white converse. "Do you think Jasper would mind loaning me a change of clothes?"

Nessie smiled. "No."

None of the Cullen's were possessive over their clothes. At the moment, Aunt Rose was wearing Nessie's sweatpants and Nessie was sporting one of her mother's necklaces. Uncle Jasper joked that Nessie's mother wore his hoodies more often than he did. It was far past time for Nahuel to join the clothing swap.

After taking the slightly burned cakes out of the oven, Nessie went to raid Uncle Jasper's drawers. She found a pair of khakis and a polo that would fit Nahuel. She was looking for a pair of socks when she stumbled upon a jewelry box. Inside was a golden ring with three small diamonds. Strange. She couldn't see Aunt Alice wearing a ring like that. It was well below her four-carat standard. Nessie put the ring back and closed the drawer. Some things were best left alone.

Nessie turned around and nearly ran into Uncle Jasper. He was holding a bottle of air freshener and a clean set of sheets.

"Doing some cleaning?" Nessie asked.

Uncle Jasper tore the sheets off his bed in one swift movement. "They'll be here soon. Can't have them thinking we live like pigs."

Nessie rolled her eyes. More like can't have them thinking we live like superheroes. She could hear her mother and Aunt Rose arguing and moving furniture around. Making the command center look like a normal basement couldn't have been easy. There were only so many places one could hide an arsenal of weapons and enough computers to launch a rocket. Nessie thought it was all a waste of time. Her father was a mind reader and Aunt Alice could see the future. They'd have everything figured out within the first fifteen minutes.

Uncle Jasper raced to the closet and dug out a small cardboard box. He took out some old family photos, a baseball glove, and his Cullen crest bracelet. He put on the bracelet and took the stack of newspaper clippings and a half-assembled ray gun off his dresser.

"Is your room...clean?" he asked as he lined the photos up on his desk.

"Clean enough," Nessie said with a shrug. Aunt Rose had already taken away most of Nessie's weapons. The only thing left was the swiss army knife Uncle Jasper had given her for Christmas.

Uncle Jasper held his breath and started dousing the room with Febreze.

"Have you given any thought to taking your ring off?"

Nessie narrowed her eyes. "No."

"I don't know how they'll react." He stopped spraying and looked her in the eye. "It would make things much easier on you."

Nessie returned his gaze. "A wise man once told me that the easy path isn't always the right path."

Uncle Jasper had said that during one of their talks about what would come after graduation. If only he'd been able to tell her what the right path was.

Uncle Jasper ran his fingers through his messy hair. "He's not going to be happy."

The doorbell rang causing Uncle Jasper to drop the air freshener.

Nessie smiled despite the anxiety rolling off her uncle. "They're here!"

Uncle Jasper nodded and bit his lip. "Better go let them in then. Alice doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Nessie ran down the stairs two steps at a time. She unlocked the door and was greeted by the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Her missing family members were standing on the front porch with dirty clothes and windblown hair.

Nessie went straight to her father who was waiting with a smile and open arms.

"I was so worried." Nessie's father said as he wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug. "I thought I'd lost you." Nessie looked over at her mother. She was standing in the kitchen unwilling to cross the threshold into the kitchen. If vampires were capable of producing tears, she would have been crying.

Uncle Emmett bulldozed past Nessie and stopped just in time to avoid crashing into Aunt Rose.

"Rose," he said. "Thank goodness."

Aunt Rose flinched when he leaned in for a kiss. Uncle Emmett looked like he'd been slapped.

"Rose, Honey, It's me, Emmett," he said with his hands up. "It's okay. I won't hurt you."

"I'm so sorry Emmett." Aunt Rose whispered. "It's just been a rough five years. A lot of things have changed."

He placed his hand on her arm. "We can work through whatever happened." Nessie wasn't so sure of that. Aunt Rose was right. A lot had changed. They were completely different people then they were five years ago. Their family would never be the same again.

Nessie felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around and came face to face, or more accurately face to chest, with Jacob.

"I'm so glad you're safe," Jacob said with a weary smile.

"I'm glad you're back," Nessie replied. "I've missed you."

Nessie was about to lean in for a hug when she was overcome by the urge to dive for cover. Every cell in her body was screaming to run. It didn't make any sense. Jacob was one of her best friends. He'd sooner die than hurt her.

"Are you okay Jasper," Nessie's grandfather asked.

Nessie looked over her shoulder. Uncle Jasper was at the bottom of the staircase standing still as a statue. He was staring at Aunt Alice with unblinking eyes.

"It's okay Jasper," Aunt Alice said as she tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "I'm back now."

Uncle Jasper jumped back as though he had been electrocuted. He took one last look around the room and bolted out the front door. Aunt Alice blinked, rolled her eyes, and took off after him.

Just when Nessie thought things couldn't get any more awkward, Nahuel appeared at the top of the stairs. Nessie's eyes widened when she saw the towel around his waist. The change of clothes she'd promised was still sitting on top of the dresser in Uncle Jasper's room.

"Hey Nessie, do you have" He trailed of midsentence when he noticed the formerly dead Cullens. Nahuel blinked and rubbed his eyes. His mouth moved but no words came out. He ran down the stairs, grabbed Nessie's arm, and made a run for the back door. So much for a fairy tale reunion.


	7. Chapter 7

Carlisle grew frantic as they approached Chicago. It appeared as though whatever happened to their home in Oregon had not been an isolated event. They passed burning cars, mile after mile of destroyed buildings, and far too many humans for whom help had come too late. He couldn't imagine Nessie, a twelve-year-old who loved boy bands and stuffed animals, growing up in a world like that. He hoped the others were with her. He couldn't bear the thought that she may have faced an apocalyptic event on her own.

After what seemed like decades, they made it to Chicago. Carlisle was relieved to find that his granddaughter had not been living in a run-down shack. Though much smaller than the places where they usually lived, the house was in good shape and surrounded by lush green trees. He thanked God, or whoever was calling the shots when he picked up the scents of his three missing children. He took another deep breath and hoped he was missing something. The thought that this was the home of only four beings was too terrible to think about.

Carlisle took a shaky breath and rang the doorbell. He knew it was important to keep his emotions in check. His family looked to him for leadership and support. If he fell apart the rest would soon follow.

The door swung open and Carlisle gasped. Nessie had grown up during his absence. While the intellectual part of him had expected that, the nurturer in him lamented that fact that he'd missed her formative teenage years. Nessie went straight to her father and gave him a long hug. Carlisle hoped that his kind-hearted granddaughter had not been hardened by years of suffering.

Carlisle looked past his granddaughter and saw his Rosalie, his oldest daughter. She was wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and baggy sweatpants. Her long blond hair had been cut short and dyed electric blue. Most shocking of all, she flinched when Emmett, her husband of over 60 years, leaned in for a kiss. What horrors had transformed his tough as nails daughter into a shell of her former self?

Carlisle then looked for Bella. She was standing in the kitchen wearing a dark grey hoodie he though belonged to Jasper. She stiffened when Edward waved to her and gestured for her to join them in the entryway. While Edward was probably hurt by being rejected, Carlislecouldn't blame her. It wasn't the first time Bella had been reunited with her family after a painful time apart.

When Bella was still human, a misguided Edward abandoned her with the hope she'd be able to go back to a normal life that wasn't endangered by the supernatural world. Her resulting depression nearly forced Charlie to have her committed. After Edward returned, it took the Cullens years to reassure Bella that they would never leave her again. Carlisle hoped whatever trials Bella had faced had not undone years of family bonding.

It took Carlisle a minute to locate Jasper. He was hiding in a dark corner at the bottom of the stairs. Out of all his Carlisle's children, Jasper was by far the most troubled. He'd come of age during a time of war and forcibly entered the vampire world. Carlise could only imagine the toll the last five years had taken on his already fragile son.

Carlisle cursed himself for not doing a better job of keeping his emotions in check. The mixture of anxiety, pain, and guilt had to be overwhelming for poor Jasper. As had often happened during events where emotions ran high, Jasper appeared to have completely detached from reality. He was standing still as a statue with a vacant expression on his face. His gift, which was often more of a curse, absorbed Carlisle's panic and broadcasted it to everyone in the room. Bella retreated further into the kitchen, Nessie shied away from Jacob, and Emmett made an unsuccessful grab for Rose's arm.

While Jasper appeared harmless to the untrained eye, Carlisle knew they were in serious danger. Jasper was debating between fight and flight. If he picked a fight, it would be a fight to death. Carlisle couldn't allow that to happen with his granddaughter standing just feet away.

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asked hoping the sound of his voice would snap Jasper back into reality.

Just when Carlisle thought things were about to turn ugly, Alice stepped in to diffuse the situation. She smoothed her husband's hair and talked to him in a reassuring voice. Jasper took a look around the room and ran out the door. Alice took off after him without a second thought. Carlisle didn't attempt to stop her. Alice was well equipped to calm Jasper down and bring him back home.

While Jasper darting out of the house didn't come as much of a surprise, Carlisle was shocked to see Nahuel appear at the top of the stairs wrapped in a fuzzy pink towel. Edward had invited him to their home in Oregon countless times, but Nahuel had always turned him down. He didn't seem interesting in socializing with the only other half-vampire in the world. Carlisle wondered what had caused Nahuel's sudden change of heart.

Like Jasper, Nahuel chose flight when confronted with a room full of vampires who were supposed to be dead. He grabbed Nessie's hand and dragged her towards the back door.

Bella intercepted the terrified half-vampire before he could make it outside.

"Stay here," she said with a firm grip on his shoulder. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"But there are dead people in the entryway!" he protested. "I've come to terms with Norse gods, werewolves, and aliens, but zombies are where I draw the line! I'm taking Nessie to Brazil and if you're smart you'll join us!"

Emmett, never one to pass up an opportunity to terrorize his siblings, snuck up behind Nahuel.

"Brains!" he growled in Nahuel's ear.

Nahuel yelped and nearly dropped his towel. Edward, who more often than not was the one egging his brother on, snickered.

"That's not funny, Emmett!" Bella snapped. "Go outside."

"Bella, love, doesn't that seem a bit harsh?" Edward said with a half-smile. "It was only a prank. There's no need to send anyone away."

"That goes for you, Jacob, and Carlisle too," she said, pointing at Edward.

"Awww, come on Bells. I'm sorry." Emmett said, giving her his best puppy dog eyes. "Don't send us away."

"I'm not sending you away," Bella said. "We just need to talk. Now."

Carlisle raised an eyebrow. This was a whole new side to Bella. It wasn't like his mild-mannered daughter to take charge like that. Carlisle wasn't sure if he should be impressed or concerned.

Bella stopped Nahuel before he could follow the others outside.

"Go go put some clothes on. Edward will have a stroke if you drop that towel."  
"But," he protested, intertwining his fingers with Nessie's.

"You can take Nessie with you. She'll find you something of Jasper's to borrow."

Jacob started to tremble and was immediately ushered out the door by Bella.

"She'll be fine," Bella said with a firm grip on his wrist.

It was then that Carlisle noticed Nessie's left hand. Jacob's trembling suddenly made sense. Nessie was wearing an engagement ring. Carlisle swallowed a lump in his throat when he realized it was Esme's ring. Why wasn't Esme wearing it? Why hadn't she been there to greet them? Why wasn't her scent on any of the furniture? Carlisle hurried his remaining children outside. He had a lot of questions and hoped Bella would have the answers.

Jacob dug in his heels when he realized they were heading away from the house.

"Shouldn't we wait for Nessie?" he asked.

"We won't be gone long." Bella said."We're only going a half-mile away."

Jacob crossed his arms. "I'd like to stay here if it's alright with you."

Carlisle wasn't the least bit surprised. Jacob had been in full-blown panic mode the entire trip to Chicago. Edward claimed to have a migraine from listening to his frenzied thoughts. It was like pressing his ear up to a tornado siren screaming Nessie's name. Carlisle was surprised Jacob hadn't knocked Nessie over like an oversized puppy when she answered the door.

Bella looked at Jacob with a piercing glare. "I'd rather you came with us."

. "I just want to make sure Nessie is okay," Jacob said. "That phone call scared the crap out of me. I spend the entire trip hoping I won't be too late."

"I think we should let him stay," Rose said. "I know Jacob. He won't hurt her."

Carlisle was shocked. Rose had never been a fan of Jacob. She accused him of stinking up the house and chasing away the deer. She gave him a leash and flea collar for the first Christmas he spent with the family. Why was she the one defending him?

Bella looked at Jacob and sighed. "You can stay, but you have to stay outside until we get back."

Carlisle was baffled. Jacob was Bella's best friend. She was the one who suggested he receive a room in the Cullen's house. She knew Jacob wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice his life to protect Nessie. Why was she so insistent he wait outside?

Carlisle looked back at the house. There was a light on in one of the bedrooms. He could hear Nessie laughing and making zombie noises. Nahuel joined in on the laugher and threw in a few moans of his own.

Jacob turned around to face the house. While the risk of him phasing has passed, his muscles were still tense.

He clenched his jaw when he heard Nahul laugh. "He treats her well?"

"Yes," Bella replied.

"Does she love him?"

"Yes,"

Jacob nodded and starting walking back towards the front porch. It may have been a trick of the light, but Carlisle could have sworn there were tears in his eyes. Carlisle's heart broke for the young man he considered a son. The nature of imprinting meant there would never be anyone else. He'd live the rest of his life without a mate. Carlisle hoped there was still room in Nessie's life for Jacob. Being sent away would break him.

Bella led them to a clearing in the woods that reminded Carlisle of their days in Forks. The half-smile on Edward's face suggested he was thinking the same thing. Carlisle looked up and saw Jasper nestled in the top of a gnarled old oak tree. Alice was at the bottom pleading for him to come down.

"Jasper," Bella called. "Can you come down, please? It's time for a family meeting."

Jasper leaped out of the tree and landed next to Emmett. The force of his feet hitting the earth stirred up dust and dried leaves. A young buck ran for cover. Although Carlise's throat burned with thirst, he knew hunting had to wait. Bella was right. It was time for a family discussion.

Bella sat down with her legs crossed and gestured for the others to do the same. Edward sat down and wrapped his arm around Bella's waist.

"I love you," Edward said with his head rested on her shoulder.

"I'm glad you're safe," Bella replied.

Edward's eyes darkened and he furrowed his brow. That wasn't the answer he was expecting.

Carlisle couldn't wait any longer. He had to know one way or the other what had become of his beautiful wife.

"Where is Esme?" he asked. "I haven't been able to pick up on her scent."

"That's because she's never been to this house before," Bella said.

Had Carlisle's heart sill been functioning it would have skipped a beat. How could anyone expect him to go on without the love of his life by his side?

"She's alive," Jasper said, sensing his father's panic. "We just don't live together anymore. We went our separate ways after New York."

Jasper had to be joking. Esme would never abandon her children. There had to be a rational explanation.

"Nothing horrible happened," Bella said. "We still keep in touch and consider ourselves a family. We just have...responsibilities that make it impossible to live under the same roof."

"I was going to visit next week, but that will probably have to wait," Rose said. "If it's anything like last time, the planes will probably be grounded for a few weeks."

"Ditching school to go on vacation," Emmett said as he tussled Rose's hair. "My Rosie has turned into a rebel!"

Rose swatted Emmett's hand away and smoothed her hair. "I'm not ditching anything. Jasper, Bella, and I haven't gone to school since we left Oregon."

"Why?" Edward snapped. "We've always attended school to keep up appearances. A house full of adopted teenagers is suspicious enough already. Why would you draw additional attention to yourself by not attending school?"

"It's a different world now," Rose said. "Truancy laws are no longer enforced. None of us plan on going back to school ever again."

"I get that you had to do what you needed to do to survive," Edward said. "But we're back now so things can go back to normal. That means we all need to go back to school."

"No," Rose said. "I don't have time for high school drama. I have responsibilities now."

Edward scoffed. "What responsibilities? Doing your hair and goofing around in the garage?"

Rose snarled. "How about making sure your daughter and her classmates make it to graduation in one piece? Is that responsible enough for you?

"Enough!" Carlisle shouted, leaping to his feet.

He was in no mood to referee yet another argument between his two most stubborn children. There were more important things to discuss than his children's education.

"Where is Esme?" Carlisle asked.

"She's in Italy with the Volturi," Bella said.

That couldn't be true. Esme, his sweet, loving wife, living with those bloodthirsty maniacs? Impossible.

"The remaining guard reached out to us after the brothers disappeared," Bella said. "As it turns out, they were tired of feeding on humans and being ordered around by the brothers. Esme agreed to help them transition into vegetarians. She's been there ever since." Bella smiled. "There hasn't been a single missing tourist since she became queen."

Carlisle wasn't sure if he should be proud of his wife or worried about her safety. The Volturi had been praying on Italian tourists for hundreds of years. Was it even possible for them to change after all that time? It was hard to believe none of them had experienced a slip-up. Even Alice, who'd never dream of harming a human, still struggled from time to time. Carlisle wondered if there were any other ways to get to Italy. He needed to be with Esme and couldn't wait for the airlines to resume commercial flights.

"What happened to the brothers?" Alice asked. "Why did they disappear? Is it related to what happened to us?"

Bella exchanged a tired look with Rose and Jasper. "Get comfortable. It's a long story."


	8. Chapter 8

Jacob collapsed into a rocking chair on Cullen's front porch. His head was spinning and his vision was hazy. Thanks to his wolf-like hearing, he was able to hear every word the Cullens were saying in the clearing. Rose was spinning an elaborate tale of aliens, magical stones, and superheroes. It had to be another one of her cruel tricks. The wolf inside him stirred longing to charge into the woods and demand an explanation. Half of all life couldn't be stuffed out like a candle. Something had certainly happened, just not that. It was too horrifying to be true.

Just when Jacob thought he was going to lose control, the front door swung open. Nessie stepped outside wearing a pair of fuzzy pink slippers and a jacket that smelled like Rose. He held back a growl. Why couldn't Nessie wear her own clothes? He didn't like her smelling like that dirty, lying vampire.

Nessie sat down in the chair beside Jacob's. She scanned every inch of his body without uttering a single word. Her piercing gaze made Jacob feel a bit self-conscious. His hair was tangled and his bare feet were caked with mud. The striped pajamas he'd stolen from a stranger's clothesline strained at the seams. One wrong move and they'd rip in two. Knowing Jacob's luck, that would be the exact moment Edward came back. The pajama pants wouldn't be the only thing in need of mending.

Jacob wished Nessie would say something. The silence was killing him. She leaned over and took a close look at the marking on Jacob's upper arm. It was a tribal tattoo given to him when he joined the pack. Nessie scrutinized every line and curve with a blank expression on her face. Jacob recalled with fondness the day he'd found her scribbling on her arm with a sharpie. She said she wanted to match her best friend. While matching tattoos were out of the question, Jacob did make them matching necklaces. He touched the wooden wolf dangling from his neck. He wondered if she still had hers. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't. Five years was a long time to hold on to a silly trinket.

"Sorry," Nessie asked after several long minutes of silence. "Had to make sure you were really you. You seem different somehow."

Jacob couldn't help but laugh. Nessie was the who'd changed. She'd gone from awkward pre-teen to soon to be bride while he took the world's longest nap. There was no telling what else had changed. Did she still like boy bands or had she inherited her father's love of classical music? Had she learned to drive or did she prefer running like her uncles? What was her favorite class in school? Music? English? Jacob hoped Nessie would let him stick around long enough to find out.

"Do you want to come inside?" Nessie and have something to eat. "There's plenty of food in the kitchen."

"No, I'm fine," Jacob said.

As hungry as Jacob was, it wasn't worth the risk. He could still hear Bella and the others talking in the woods. She'd be livid if he was found in the house without permission. The last thing he needed was to be sent back to Washington. He didn't have the energy for another cross-country run.

"Are you worried about Nahuel?" Nessie asked. "He won't hurt you. He's upstairs asleep. The whole people rising from the dead thing gave him a migraine."

Jacob wasn't the least bit concerned Nahuel would harm him. He'd taken on entire covens of vampires and lived to tell the tale. He was more concerned that Naheul would hurt Nessie. While Bella said he was a good guy, she didn't have the greatest track record when it came to relationships. She'd forgiven Edward for abandoning her, stalking her, and attempting to control her every move. Would Bella encourage her daughter to overlook colossal flaws in the name of love or demanded to be treated as an equal? Jacob knew one thing for certain; there wouldn't be a single cell left of Nahuel if he ever did something to harm Nessie.

Jacob's stomach growled.

Nessie's raised an eyebrow. "Sure you're not hungry."

"Maybe a little snack would be nice." He laughed. "It has been five years since lunch."

Nessie went inside and returned with two plates stacked high with treats. She knew when Jacob said a "little snack" he meant enough food to feed an army. Jacob's mouth watered at the sight of sandwiches, potato salad, and two massive wedges of chocolate cake.

"I'll grab us something to drink," Nessie said as she handed Jacob a plate.

Jacob dug into the food without wasting a single second more. The cake was one of the best things he'd ever eaten. He wondered if Nessie would be willing to pass the recipe on to Emily. The guys in the pack loved chocolate. Jacob's stomach churned. When he left La Push, Emily was threatening to shoot if Sam or Quil came anywhere near the house. He hoped Sam had found a way to get through to her. Losing an imprint was a fate worse than death.

Nessie came back outside with two cups. One with milk and one with what appeared to be blood. His nose told him it wasn't animal blood. Had the Cullen's given up on their vegetarian lifestyle? Was the disturbed earth in the backyard the site of a mass grave?

"Don't worry," Nessie said, noting Jacob's wide eyes. "It's synthetic."

"Synthetic?"

"It was created by Stark Industries for medical use. Humans don't need blood donors and vampires don't need to hunt." She took a sip. "Every vampire I know prefers it to human blood. It's much easier than hiding bodies."

Seth's boy scout act suddenty made a lot more sense. If vampires no longer hunted humans, there was no point in risking their lives to kill them. The wolves must have been sitting around twiddling their thumbs. Jacob knew from personal experience that bored wolves were prone to get into trouble. He didn't blame Seth for assigned the pack community service projects. It was a long drive to the country jail and bail wasn't cheap.

Jacob tried to rub away a blob of chocolate on his pants. Instead of going away, the strain grew to the size of a baseball. Rose would probably make a snotty comment about Jacob needed to be housebroken.

"Do you think Jasper would mind loaning me some clothes?" Jacob asked. Nessie smiled. "I can do you one better. Follow me."

Nessie led Jacob to a garage that was nearly the same size as the house. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Rose's lair. She'd always complained a four-car garage wasn't near enough room for her "babies."

Jacob jaw dropped when the door opened and he saw his beat-up Rabbit parked next to a silver Lamborghini. How had it gotten there? He'd assumed it had been destroyed in the fire.

"Your father gave it to me," Nessie explained as she opened the trunk. "He said you'd want me to have it."

She handed him a battered duffle bag. Inside was a change of clothes and a shaving kit. It wasn't much, but it would spare him from Rose's teasing.

A lump formed in Jacob's throat. "Is my father dead?"

Nessie gave him a sympathetic look. "Yes. I'm so sorry Jacob."

Jacob's hands were shaking as he looked toward outside at the trees. While he was tempted to phase and start snapping branches, he knew it wouldn't do any good. It wouldn't make him feel any better or bring his father back.

"What caused the fire," Jacob asked.

"What fire? Nessie asked.

"The one that destroyed my neighborhood."

Nessie's brow furrowed. "I don't know anything about a fire."

Why didn't Nessie know about the fire? Even if they weren't Quileute, imprints were considered part of the tribe. The guys in the pack treated Nessie like a little sister. Even Leah, who didn't seem to like anyone, loved braided Nessie's hair while they watched Disney movies. Jacob found it hard to believe they'd cut off contact.

Your father died of a ruptured brain aneurysm," Nessie continued. " My mom says that kind of thing happens to humans sometimes. There's nothing anyone could have done to prevent it."

While it wasn't at all the news he was hoping for, Jacob appreciated Nessie's honesty.

"Come inside and get changed," Nessie said. "It's late and I'm sure you're tired. Nahuel is asleep in my room, but you can take my mom's room."

"I don't about that," Jacob set the back down at his feet. "Maybe I should sleep out here tonight. I wouldn't want to kick your mom out of her bed."  
"You're not sleeping in the garage," Nessie said firmly. "You may have been gone a while, but that doesn't mean you're not part of the family anymore. You can sleep on the living couch if you'd prefer, but you're sleeping inside and that's final!"

Jacob wanted to protest but found himself following Nessie into the house and upstairs. The only thing more powerful than an alpha command was the imprint bond. Jacob would follow Nessie anywhere even if it meant going toe to toe with Bella.

Nessie pointed to the first door on the left. "The bathroom is over there. There's soap under the sink and towels in the cabinet. Try to be quiet, Nahuel is asleep in the room next door." Nessie yawed. "I'm going to try and squeeze in a quick nap before the others get back."

"Okay, thank you."

Nessie stopped Jacob before he could enter the bathroom. "One more thing, I'm not sure if I mentioned it earlier, but I'm glad you're back. I've really missed you." Nessie gave him a quick hug and headed off to bed. Jacob's wolf was doing backflips. She'd missed him. Her staring and less than warm greeting hadn't meant anything. Maybe there was still room for him in her life after all.

Jacob's heart sank as he watched Nessie enter the bedroom next to the bathroom. Wasn't Nahuel in there? The poor guy had no idea he'd made a potentially fatal mistake. Edward had threatened to dismember Jacob, who'd sworn on his life to never hurt Nessie, for far less. How would Edward react to his teenage daughter having a sleepover over with a vampire he barely knew? Jacob hoped it wouldn't get too ugly. He was in no mood to complete a 1,000 piece vampire jigsaw puzzle.

Jacob entered the bathroom and did a double-take. There was a pile of bloody rags on the floor. Upon further inspection he discovered that they weren't rags, they were clothes. Nahuel's clothes to be exact. While he wanted to believe the blood wasn't real, his nose told him otherwise. He could smell faint traces of perfume and orange juice, two things all the Cullen women hated. If there wasn't an explanation that didn't involve a dead woman, Edward would have some help ripping Naheul limb from limb.


	9. Chapter 9

Jasper was more than happy to let Rose lead their not so merry bunch back to the house. He much preferred sticking to the back of the group where he could observe from a safe distance. He still wasn't quite sure what he was looking at. The pessimist in him firmly believed things weren't as good as they appeared. He wondered if this was some type of shapeshifting alien invasion. In a place as wild and wonderful as Chicago one never knew what to expect.

Jasper scrutinized each of his family members. If they were shapeshifters they'd certainly done their homework. Edward wore his usual tortured facial expression. He led Bella by the hand and warned her to watch out for rocks and fallen branches. Waves of lust rolled off Emmett as he unashamedly admired Rose's new haircut and sculpted body. Carlisle also stuck to the back of the group where he could keep an eye on his children. As always, his facial expression was blank. He was always the strong one when things went south.

Last but not least was Alice. Funny how Jasper had run into burning buildings and fought armed robbers, yet was reduced to a quivering mess by the sight of a 95-pound vampire. Alice was happily chatting to Bella about a mall she'd seen a few blocks away. She couldn't wait to catch up on five years of fashion trends. Poor Bella looked horrified over the possibility she'd be forced to play Bella Barbie. Alice laughed sending a shiver down Jasper's spine. No creature on earth or any other planet could mimic that horrific sound. His family was back. He wasn't sure if he should be terrified or thrilled.

Bella looked over her shoulder at Jasper and tugged her ear. He started scanning the area for threats. He could hear sirens, dogs barking, and the hum of a nearby electrical plant. He closed his eyes and tuned out the sounds and smells of his family members. The crying was faint, like that of a kitten. It wasn't anything unusual, there were several families with kids in the area. Why would Bella feel the need to call his attention to it?

Jasper opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. Bella mouthed the word "walls." It took him a minute to figure out what she meant. The crying wasn't muffled by curtains or walls like that of the neighborhood toddlers. Wherever the child was, it was alone and afraid. The temperature was hovering at around 40 degrees. While that wasn't a problem for vampires, a night in the cold could prove fatal to humans. Jasper knew they had to investigate before it was too late.

Jasper looked around at his returned family members. He wasn't quite ready to tell them about the Silver Bullets yet. He'd seen people, good people, come back from near-death situations changed. Some came back with deadly powers and others became a powerful force for good. Unfortunately, there wasn't time to determine which group his family would fall into. He made eye contact with Bella and touched his temple. He felt her shield wrap around him like a heavy blanket. It was time for the Silver Bullets to make a speedy getaway.

Jasper was about to send out a powerful wave of exhaustion when Jacob stormed out of the house. He was dragging a squirming Nahuel behind him. Jasper wasn't the least bit surprised. He'd felt Jacob's heartbreak when he noticed the ring on Nessie's hand. It was only a matter of time until the two came to blows.

"Let him go," Nessie cried as she clawed at Jacob's back. "It's not what it looks like!"

Jacob slammed Nahuel down in the grass and whirled around to face her. "Then explain why his clothes are soaked in blood!"

Soaked was a major exaggeration. The only blood Jasper could see was a few dried specks. Little did Jacob know the shirt wasn't even his. It belonged to Jasper who had stained it during dinner last week.

Nahuel attempted to army crawl away but was stopped by Jacob's foot slamming down on his back. Jasper winced when he heard Nahuel's ribs crack. It would be a painful three days until they healed.

Bella extended her shield over Nahuel before Jacob could strike a second time. "Stop!" she shouted. "You're hurting him!"

"He killed a human!" Jacob shouted. "I can smell it on his breath!"

The clothing bunched in Jacob's fist smelled like blood and Nahuel.

"He came across a car accident," Nessie said. "He tried to help the victims, but he was too late."

Edward's nose twitched giving Jasper an idea. It wouldn't paint him in a positive light, but it was better than knocking half his family out cold. He motioned for Bella to lower her shield. Bella seemed confused but complied. Jasper sniffed the air and growled. Edward positioned himself between Jasper and Nessie.

"Don't you dare come near her," Edward said. "I won't let you go this time!"

Memories of Bella's ill-fated birthday party came to mind. Little did Edward know how far Jasper had come since then. The smell of human blood no longer tempted him. The thought of hurting anyone, especially Nessie, repulsed him.

While Jasper wished he could stop the disappointment rolling off of Carlisle, he had to play his part. A young life was on the line Jasper allowed Emmett and Carlise to grab his arms. He could have broken free of them easily but pretended to struggle.

"It's okay Jasper," Alice said as she gently stroked his cheek."You won't lose control. Just focus on the sound on my voice."

Jasper's second growl wasn't fake. The cool of her touch made his skin crawl. He broke away from Emmett and Carlisle.

"I need to hunt," Jasper said.

He took off into the woods and was relieved when no one followed him. They had their hands full with Jacob. Jasper hoped Nessie would set the record straight quickly. While he wasn't Nahuel's biggest fan, that didn't mean he wanted to see him get his head ripped off.

Jasper reached the child in a little less than three minutes, a much better response time than the local police. The reason for the child's distress quickly became clear. The girl, who appeared to be around five years old, was trapped midway up a tree. She was clinging to a branch barely thick enough to support her weight. There was a dog barking and growling at the base of the tree. It's scarred muzzle was covered in blood. While it was terrifying for the child, Jasper wasn't the least bit concerned. A 60-pound pit bull was no problem for some who'd fought full-grown lions.

Jasper was about to snap the dog's neck when the girl screamed.

"Please don't hurt my dog," the boy begged. "He's just trying to protect me!"

Protect him from what? Jasper looked up just in time to see a mangy golden retriever come out of the woods. It was one of many stray dogs that roamed the neighborhood. He was the only one who never stopped by for a belly rub and a bowl of kibble from Nessie. He preferred feasting on any squirrels or feral cats that enter his territory. Unfortunately for the girl, the dog had set his eyes on much larger prey.

Ignoring Jasper, the golden retriever growled and advanced towards the tree. The hair on the back of the pitbull's back stood up. Although he was less than half the size of the golden retriever, he growled and bared his teeth. The golden retriever lunged for the pitbull's neck only to be grabbed by Jasper. Being mindful of his audience, Jasper dragged the golden retriever behind a tree to put it out of its misery. Nessie would be upset by what he'd done but there was no other choice. Some creatures were past the point of rehabilitation.

After returning the boy to his shocked parents, Jasper decided to take a quick lap around town. He couldn't have been more surprised by what he found or more accurately didn't find. There were no more fires and the gunfire had ceased. There were no muggings, looters, or car accidents. The few people he came across were in no need of help.

Jasper turned towards the loop, the epicenter of violent crime. Being in the downtown area was usually an unpleasant experience. People in Chicago were angry, violent, and most of all sad. On that night the opposite to be true. There was happiness in the air, kind of like the night before Christmas cranked up to ten. He could hear laughter and tears caused by joy rather than pain. Jasper soaked it in like a sponge. He'd need something positive to remember when things inevitably took a turn for the worse.

In no hurry to get home, Jasper decided to take a stroll along the beach. He regretted it the minute his feet touched the sand. It felt wrong being there without Bella. They often came to the beach after a long night of fighting crime. They'd spend the early morning hours talking and watching the sun come up. Jasper wondered if those blissful mornings had come to an end. If Edward had his way, Jasper wouldn't be allowed within 20 yards of his wife.

Jasper retracted his suit and allowed and sat down in the damp sand. Thanks to Rose and her "moon block" he could enjoy the early morning sun without sparkling like a disco ball.

"You missed a spot," Bella said as she sat down next to Jasper. She produced a tube of moon block from her pocket and rubbed some onto the back of his neck. Jasper leaned into her hand. The feeling of her skin on his sent lightning bolts up his spine.

"Where's Edward?" Jasper asked, disappointed when Bella's hands left his neck.

"Still at home," Bella replied as she rinsed her hands off in the lake. "He found out about the engagement."

Jasper sighed. He'd warned Nessie to take off her ring. Now she was paying the price of her stubbornness. Edward was probably digging Nahuel's grave as they spoke.

"I assume he helped Jacob rip Nahuel to shreds?"

Bella traced a heart in the sand with her finger. "Surprising no. He's happy about the wedding."

Happy? No, that couldn't be right. Edward had always been so protective over Nessie. He was barely willing to let his baby girl out of his sight. There wasn't a chance in the world he'd be okay with taking off on a honeymoon with a vampire he barely knew.

"Are you sure?" Jasper asked, wondering if he should revisit the shapeshifter theory.

Bella nodded. "He's helping Alice plan the wedding as we speak." Bella smiled and shook her head. "According to Alice, we've been doing it all wrong. She's tossing our plans out and starting from scratch."

That sounded like Alice. She probably had a stroke when she found out they were planning on getting the cake from Costco.

Bella stood up and brushed the sand off her pants. "We should probably get back home before Alice finds out about the napkins. She's going to freak out when she finds out we picked eggshell over cream."


	10. Chapter 10

"I wonder where Bella snuck off to," Alice asked as she thumbed through a bridal magazine. "I need to get some measurements for her new maid of honor dress. The one she showed me was horrendous."

Edward, who was furiously scribbling away at his father of the bride speech, set his pen down and looked around the room. "That's a good question. I hope she hasn't gotten into any trouble."

Emmett laughed. "I bet she's headed to Mexico. She looked ready to pull her hair out when Alice asked if she'd be open to wearing high heels."

Rose looked up at the clock hanging above the kitchen sink. It was a little past five meaning Jasper had been gone for over four hours. Bella had gotten worried at the three-hour mark and set out to find him. Rose hoped she'd find Jasper and get back home soon. She was far past tired of humming Here Comes the Bride to block Edward out of her thoughts.

Rose selected a magazine and started skimming an article about flower arrangements. "She probably went outside getting some fresh air. I'm sure she'll be back soon."

Emmett pinched his nose and grimaced. "I don't blame her. This whole house reeks of werewolf."

"I heard that!" Jacob shouted from the living room couch where he'd been tossing and turning all night. "And I'm a shapeshifter, not a werewolf. Learn your mythology!"

"A shapeshifter by any other name still smells like rotten garbage!" Emmett shouted back.

Five years ago Rose would have gladly joined in. She found it amusing to get under Jacob's skin. It was even better when Esme scolded him for phasing in the house. That was before Rose realized how quiet the house was without someone rummaging around in the kitchen cabinets and goofing around with Nessie. Now that Jacob was back, Rose would never tease him again.

"At least I don't sparkle like a fairy!" Jacob yelled.

"At least I didn't-"

"Enough, Emmett!" Rose said sharply. "Unless you'd like to end up upstairs with Nahuel."

Right on cue, they heard a loud crack followed by an ear-splitting scream. Jacob had smashed six of Nahuel's ribs. Carlisle was upstairs setting the bones while Nessie tried her best to keep Nahuel still. Rose was glad Jasper had soundproof the house last summer. The last thing they needed was for the neighbors to call the police again.

"Rose, do you have the number for the caterer?" Alice asked, unbothered by the screaming. "I have some ideas for the menu."

Rose nodded. "I've got it saved on my computer downstairs." She stood up and pushed her chair in. "I'll go find it for you."

Rose had called the caterer a dozen times making changes to the menu. She didn't need to look up a number she'd memorized months ago. However, she did need to check on Bella and Jasper. Knowing those two, there was a real chance they'd landed themselves in hot water.

"Want me to come with?" Emmett asked.

Rose waved him off. "No, it will only take a second."

Emmett frowned and looked down at the table. "Oh. Alright."

Rose hated to leave Emmett looking so broken-hearted. He didn't understand why his wife had suddenly become cold and distant. Rose would explain everything as soon as she figured out how. Until then, Emmett would have to wait.

Rose headed downstairs to her command center. All that remained of her tech was a single desktop computer. Everything else was packed away in Rubbermaid bins marked Christmas decorations. Thankfully, it was all she needed to find her siblings.

Rose opened the locator program on her computer. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have batted an eye if Jasper disappeared for a few hours. Living near a major city could be rather draining for an empath. For Jasper to be at his best, he needed to get away every now and then to rest and recharge. Rose didn't fault him for that. She would have done the same had her problems been the type that could be run away from.

Rose was relieved when she located Jasper and Bella on the beach. They were walking side by side at human pace. She decided to leave them alone. They didn't ask about the crawl space and she didn't ask about the beach. Rose closed the locater and turned around.

"What was that, some sort of game?" Emmett asked.

There was no reason for Rose to lie. She wasn't the first Cullen to use technology to keep tabs on someone.

"It's a tracking program," Rose explained. She showed him the markers for herself in the house, Esme in Italy, and Jasper and Bella on the beach. "I was just making sure Bella and Jasper are okay,"

Emmett smirked and pointed to Nessie's marker. "Nessie's not going to be happy when she finds out this. "

"She knows about the trackers."

"And she's okay with that?"

Nessie had been livid when she discovered the tracker hidden in her locket. She refused to speak to her father for weeks. It was something she would come to regret. Edward died before they got the chance to make up.

Rose shrugged. "She knows it's necessary."

Privacy was a small price to pay for one's safety. Nessie learned that lesson the hard way.

Emmett frowned and sat down on the couch. "Things have certainly changed a lot in a day."

Rose didn't bother correcting him. It was best to give him time to process things. Five years was a lot of time to miss.

"Let's go back upstairs," Rose suggested. "I'd like to make sure Alice doesn't bedazzle my dress." Rose stood up and caught her foot on the leg of her chair. She lost her balance and started to fall. Emmett lunged forward and caught her just before she hit the ground.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Emmett asked as he set Rose back on her feet.

"I'm fine. I just tripped."

Emmett crossed his arms. "We're vampires. We don't just trip."

"Em, trust me, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You've been limping all night. Maybe I should go get Carlisle."

Rose sighed. "No, don't get Carlisle. There's nothing he can do for me."

Rose motioned for Emmett to join her on the couch. She slowly rolled her pants leg up as soon as they were situated.

Emmett gasped at the sight of metal and plastic where her left leg had once been. "What happened?"

She couldn't tell him the real story yet. That would involve other stories that weren't only hers to tell. She could just tell him the cover story she'd told the neighbors. He'd see right through it. Lightning-fast reflexes and over 80 years of experience made her an excellent driver. He'd never believe she'd been in a car accident. She'd tell him the truth or at least as close to the truth as she could come without breaking her promise to Bella and Jasper.

"We were out hunting."

Let him assume they were hunting for deer.

"I made a mistake for which we paid dearly."

Rose should have known they were walking into a trap. Gathering intel was her jot and she'd failed. She should have known something was wrong. Missions were never so clear cut.

"There was a fire and I got trapped."

She'd never forget the feeling of knowing the flames were getting closer and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

"My leg was severed and we weren't able to reattach it."

They never did find the rest of Rose's leg. It must have burned up along with the rest of the building.

It could have been much worse. There were plenty of others who lost more than a limb.

Emmett swallowed hard. "I'm so sorry Rose. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you."

"This isn't your fault. If there's anyone to blame it's me."

Rose was glad Emmett hadn't been there. There was no doubt in her mind he would have jumped in after her. She would have never been able to forgive herself if he'd been hurt or worse.

"Please don't feel sorry for me." Rose continued. "I can't do everyone I used to do, but I've learned to adjust. I'm working on a new prosthetic that should allow me to run. It may take a while, but I'll be able to race with you again someday."

Emmett nodded and looked down at his jeans. He started playing with a hole near his knee. "Do you think Jasper would mind loaning me a change of clothes?"

Rose winced. She'd once again failed to anticipate Emmett's needs. A cross country run and attempting to subdue Jasper had torn his clothes to shreds. Of course he'd want to change. She should have thought of that hours ago.

"Don't bother with Jasper's clothes. I've got some of your things packed away in the crawl space."

By some, Rose meant all. She'd never been able to part with anything Emmett had ever touched. His car was parked in the garage next to hers. His movie collection, video games, and clothes were stored in the crawl space. The only thing missing was his wedding ring. Rose was relieved to see Emmett wearing it. Losing a symbol of their love had been eating away at her for years.

Emmett started digging through the boxes like a kid on Christmas morning. He whooped when he found his Playstation.

Rose smiled. "We can play together later if you'd like. My PS6 is hooked up in the living room."

Emmett raised an eyebrow. "I thought you hated video games."

Rose laughed. "I've picked up a few new hobbies since you've been gone."

Rose had never seen the point in video games. Why waste a day staring at a screen when you could be doing something productive like reading or shopping. After Emmett died she started playing video games to feel more connected to him. She was surprised to find she enjoyed herself. She couldn't wait to show Emmett all of her new games. He was the only one in their family who had even a remote chance of beating her in Call of Duty 6.

Rose handed Emmett the last box. It contained his backpack, gym uniform, and a few ratty textbooks. She'd gone back to the school to rescue them. She couldn't bear the thought of his locker being cleaned out by the janitor.

"Are there any other boxes?" Emmett asked.

Rose climbed out of the crawlspace. "No, why? Is there something missing?"

"There was a jewelry box in my nightstand. It had a ring inside." He looked at Rose's bare ring finger. "I understand if you don't have it anymore. Five years is a long time to wait for a dead man."

Five years was nothing. She'd happily wait until the end of time for him.

Rose took Emmett's hand in hers. "I still have it. There was and will never be anyone else." She wrapped her arms around him. They still fit together like puzzle pieces. "I love you, Emmett. I'm really glad you're back."

Had Rose not been so distracted by their happy reunion she would have noticed something amiss on her computer. Jasper and Bella had changed direction and run off towards Navy Pier. Had she not been lost in Emmett's eyes she would have heard Jacob leave the house. Something ancient and dark was stirring in the Windy City. The Silver Bullets were in for the fight of their lives.


	11. Chapter 11

Jacob rolled over onto his stomach and stretched his legs out as far as Cullen's tiny sofa allowed. He winced when his foot struck the metal frame. Three of his toes were swollen to twice their usual size. The condition of his feet shouldn't have come as much of a surprise. The terrain between Washington and Illinois was littered with broken glass, metal, and shards of bone. Jacob certainly hadn't been watching where he was going. Insignificant things like exhaustion and broken bones didn't even register when Nessie was in danger.

Jacob grabbed his big toe and twisted. There was a crack followed by an ear-splitting scream. Obviously, it wasn't Jacob doing the screaming. A fractured toe was nothing to a guy who'd broken every bone in his body at least twice. The screams were coming from upstairs where Carlisle was tending to Nahuel. Each cry made Jacob sick to his stomach. He'd violated the number one rule of the pack, do no harm to innocents. His father would be so disappointed in him.

If only Jacob could turn back time. He'd listen to Bella and stay outside. He'd gather evidence before jumping to conclusions. He wouldn't let himself lose control. He wouldn't drag Nahuel out of the house. Most important of all, he'd let Nahuel go before muscles tore and bones splintered. Unfortunately, time travel wasn't part of his skill set. Nahuel was paying for a crime he didn't commit and Nessie was probably wishing Jacob had stayed dead. With his toes back in the correct positions, Jacob laid back down on the couch and tried to get some sleep. In the morning, He'd find a way to make things right with Nahuel.

Unfortunately, sleep wasn't in the cards for Jacob. He could hear Alice and Edward arguing about the menu for Nessie's wedding. Why did it matter if they served salmon or steak? Neither of them would be eating the meal. Besides, Nessie preferred pizza. The scent of beef made her nauseous and she hadn't eaten a fish since watching Finding Nemo. Then again, what did he know? The last five years had changed so much. Nessie had moved across the county, gone to school, and fallen in love. For all he knew steak and salmon could be her new favorite foods.

Jacob buried his head under a pillow to block out the noise and immediately regretted it. The pillow smelled like wildflowers and honey, Nessie's scent. The heart-shaped pillow must have come from Nessie's bedroom, a room she would soon share with Nahuel. Jacob wondered if she would notice one of her pillows going missing. He'd want something with her scent on it when the Cullens sent him back to Washington. He held the pillow close to his chest and closed his eyes. Maybe things wouldn't seem so bleak in the morning.

Jacob had all but given up on sleep when the humming started. It was soft at first, like standing outside while the church choir practiced. He closed his eyes and listened. It reminded him of the lullabies he hummed to baby Nessie. His heart rate steadied and his breathing slowed. Music really did calm the savage beast.

Jacob was about to drift off to sleep when the humming, or more accurately chanting, became louder. Jacob rolled his eyes and sat up. It had to be Edward. He was always listening to "weird", or as he called it 'experimental', music. Jacob didn't see what was so interesting about listening to rain hitting a tombstone or a toilet flushing a bucket of golf balls. He didn't care about whatever pretentious explanation Edward would give him. He needed to get some sleep before he dropped dead of exhaustion.

Jacob stormed into the kitchen where Alice and Edward were still bickering over the menu.

"You mind turning that garbage down?"

"What garbage?" Edward asked.

Jacob growled. He was in no mood for another music theory lesson. At 5 am noise was noise.

"Chanting, humming, music, whatever it is it's driving me crazy!"

"We're not playing any music," Alice said. "You must have been dreaming."

Dreaming? Between their arguing and Nahuel screaming like a banshee, Jacob hadn't managed to get a single wink of sleep.

"Where's Emmett?" Jacob asked.

If it wasn't Edward playing the music, then it must have been Emmett. He had a reputation to uphold as the family prankster. Unfortunately for Jacob, 'prank' and 'torture' were synonymous in Emmett's mind. Property damage, psychological warfare, and surprise wrestling matches were all well within the realms of possibility. If not for how much Nessie loved her uncle, Jacob would have ripped Emmett's head off years ago.

"He's downstairs," Edward said, nodding to the basement door. Jacob stomped towards the basement. He'd smash whatever toy or cd was making that horrible sound to bits. Unlike with Nahuel's ribs, Jacob wouldn't feel the least bit guilty. Emmett had it coming after the smelly werewolf comment.

"I wouldn't go down there if I were you," Edward cautioned.

Jacob paused with his hand on the doorknob.

"Why not?"

Alice giggled. "Rose is down there too."

Jacob released the doorknob as though he had been burned. He'd seen Emmett's pasty white behind more than his fair share of times. When the mood struck for those two no location, including the backseat of Jacob's car, was safe. Being separated for a weekend ended in a night of non-stop noise. He didn't even want to know what was happening after five years apart.

Jacob pivoted and left the house through the back door. While it may have been sleep deprivation taking its toll, he could have sworn the chanting was even louder outside. Every tree, blade of grass, and rock seemed to vibrate with energy. How could the others not hear it? It was like a thousand rock concerts put together. He had to find the source and fast. He didn't want to fall asleep and wake up ten years later to the sound of Nessie and Nahuel's kids running around.

Jacob kneeled and attempted to phase. Instead of covering skin with fur, his inner wolf retreated to the back of his mind. Nothing like that had even happened before. After a decade of practice, phasing had become as easy as breathing. He was used to fighting against phasing not fighting to phase. What on earth was happening to him? Three more failed phases and an uprooted tree later, Jacob sunk down into the dirt. What good was a shapeshifter who couldn't shapeshift?

Jacob was about to head back inside when he noticed Jasper's scent. Jasper was one subject on which he completely agreed with Edward. The guy was a ticking time bomb. His military training, uncontrolled bloodlust, and ability to influence emotions made him a force to be reckoned with. He'd killed dozens of humans during his early years and struggled to adapt to the vegetarian lifestyle. His reaction to the dried blood on Nahuel's clothes proved not much had changed over the last five years. Jacob hoped Jasper wouldn't be back anytime soon. The last thing he needed was an empath enhancing storm in his mind.

Jacob wasn't half surprised to find Bella's scent alongside Jasper's, Of course she went after him. Why stay safe at home with her family when she could go running after a bloodthirsty vampire? It was nothing short of a miracle Bella had made it this far with zero survival instincts. Jacob stood up and dusted himself off. Wolf or no wolf, he had to find Bella before she found Jasper. He liked Bella and didn't want to see her lose a limb. Jacob took one last look at the house and took off into the woods. Maybe Nessie would forgive him if he brought her mother back in one piece.

Jacob followed Jasper's scent to the body of a dead dog. As usual with an animal killed by the Cullens, the dog's neck was cleanly broken. It was quick, efficient, and preserved every last precious drop of blood. According to Edward, dogs smelled and tasted like a dead skunk. Jacob quickened his pace. If Jasper was desperate enough to drink dog blood, there was no telling what would happen if he came across a human.

Jacob started to panic when the trail led him out of the woods into the city. There were millions of potential victims most of which were still fast asleep. Jasper could slip inside and drain a defenseless human without making a sound. If Bella tried to interrupt him, which she would, there was a real chance she'd end up dead too. Jacob wished the rest of his pack was there. He was going to need backup if Jasper came unhinged.

Jacob followed Jasper and Bella's scents all the way to the lake. The ground started to shake causing massive waves to crash into the shore. A wave knocked Jacob off his feet sending him face-first into the rocky sand. He got up, wiped the blood off his face, and kept running. He could hear people screaming on Navy Pier. Why wouldn't they be quiet? Didn't they know something far more dangerous than an earthquake was coming?

What felt like hours later, Jacob made it to the pier soaking wet and exhausted. The Navy Pier before him looked nothing like the one in pictures. The ground was littered with splintered wood and twisted metal. He suspected most of the damage had occurred long before the earthquake. Much like the nearby neighborhoods, the once gleaming restaurants had broken windows and charred roofs. There must have been some time of fire or explosion. Why on earth had the Cullens moved to a city that was little more than rubble?

Something silver streaked past Jacob nearly knocking him over the railing. The putrid scent of rotting meat burned his nostrils. It was Jasper. He was headed towards a crumbling Ferris wheel. Jacob's heart stopped when he heard a high pitched cry. It was a baby unaware its cries were like ringing the dinner bell. Ignoring the white-hot pain in his legs, Jacob tore off after Jasper. He'd save that baby even if it killed him.

Jacob found Jasper crouched low to the ground at the base of the Ferris wheel. He was wearing some type of reflective suit which made looking at him difficult. Where had he managed to get clothing as bright as the sun?

Stop," Jacob shouted. "It's only a baby!"

In one jump, Jasper made it half-way up the Ferris wheel. In seconds, he'd have his teeth sunk into the baby's soft skin. Ignoring his spotty vision and heavy eyelids, Jacob jumped up after him. He'd just made it to the top when everything shaking. The ground rushed towards him in slow motion. He wrapped his arms around the baby and braced for impact. His last thoughts were of Nessie. Tearing up when she said his name for the first time. Clapping when she took her first steps. Teaching her how to ride a bike and change tires. There was fiery hot pain then darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

Nessie waited until she heard the shower start to allow her tough facade to crumble. She buried her head in a pillow and sobbed. She should have known something was wrong with Jacob. He'd come back from the dead, run across the country, and lost his father all within 24 hours. It was no wonder he'd lost touch with reality and attacked Nahuel. She'd done the same to her mother when they found the pile of ash on the Black's driveway. Back then, she would have given anything for one last hug from her best friend. Why had she wasted her second chance with him?

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Nessie said.

She didn't need to ask who it was. There was only one vampire in the house who bothered with knocking. Uncle Jasper entered the room with a box of tissues and a glass of blood. He handed her the glass and set the tissue box down on the nightstand.

"How is he?," Nessie asked, dreading the answer.

"He broke both legs, his left arm, and most of his ribs. We won't know for sure without a CT scan, but he may also have a skull fracture and a concussion." Uncle Jasper replied.

Nessie took a sip of blood. She wasn't thirsty but knew her mom would freak if she stopped eating again. Uncle Jasper smiled when she finished the last drop. He knew feeding tubes were no fun when your venom necessitated their replacement every 24 hours.

Nessie set the empty glass down on her nightstand. "Is he awake?"

"No, but he is breathing on his own which is a good sign."

Being awake would be a better sign.

Nessie hugged one of her heart-shaped pillows. "Is he going to be okay?"

Uncle Jasper ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't know."

It wasn't the answer she was hoping for, but she was thankful for her uncle's honesty. Anyone else would have told her Jacob would be fine. They always told her everything was fine, even when things were most certainly not fine. She wasn't a child anymore, she could handle the truth even if the truth wasn't pleasant. She was glad her uncle understood that.

"Can I see him," Nessie asked.

Uncle Jasper stiffened. "Your father thinks you should wait for a little while. He thinks Jacob could be dangerous."

Jacob? Dangerous? No way! He used to let her braid his hair and put Hello Kitty stickers on his arms. He didn't even raise his voice when she spilled grape juice in the back seat of his car. One slip up didn't make him some sort of unhinged monster. She needed to be there for him not hiding away in her room.

"He won't hurt me," Nessie said firmly.

"He's been hearing voices and attacked Nahuel. Your father is right to be concerned."

Was her father's concern warranted? Hearing voices had become a Cullen family tradition. It happened to Nessie's mother when the family abandoned her. The same happened to Nessie after the snap. Aunt Alice whispered fashion tips. Grandpa Carlise encouraged her to get out of bed and have something to eat. Her father warned her to stay away from strange men. Uncle Emmett urged her to go outside and get some fresh air. Those voices were tolerable, even comforting at the time. What wasn't quite so comforting was the rare occasions when Jacob spoke. His voice came in the foggy space between awake and asleep.

"I'll always be with you," he'd whisper. "Everything is going to be okay,"

"How do you know?" Nessie would shout back. "You're not here!"

Uncle Jasper brushed his fingers across one of the photos tacked to Nessie's bulletin board. It was taken Christmas Eve the year before the snap. Grandpa Carlisle was looking at Grandma Esme instead of the camera. Aunt Alice was fussing with Uncle Jasper's tie. Uncle Emmett was begging Aunt Rose to join him under the mistletoe. Nessie and Jacob were frozen mid-laugh. Nessie's mother was wrapped around her father like a scarf. Inspire of being over five years old, it was the most recent family photo taken. No one saw a point taking a family picture when half the family was missing.

"Do you think Jacob is dangerous?" Nessie asked.

Uncle Jasper looked up a scorch mark on the ceiling. "I've learned there are far bigger threats out there than shapeshifters or vampires."

"Will you stop me if I go downstairs?"

Uncle Jasper's eyes moved from the photo to Nessie's overflowing bookshelf.

"Your books need organization." He straightened a battered copy of _Wuthering Heights _sandwiched between _The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Gone Girl. _ "Classics next to mysteries? Anarchy."

Under normal circumstances, Nessie would never allow anyone to touch her books. They were her prized possessions, an escape from a dark and dangerous world. Letting anyone touch them risked a page being ripped or a spine being creased. On that day Nessie didn't even flinch when Uncle Jasper set her favorite book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, on the floor. Being with Jacob was more important than all the books in the world.

Without wasting a single second more, Nessie raced downstairs. She found her parents, Uncle Emmett, and her aunts cleaning up the kitchen.

"We were lucky today," Aunt Rose said, placing three cookbooks back on their shelf. "Buildings here aren't meant to withstand earthquakes. The entire house could have come down on top of us."

Nessie's father nodded. "It must have been at least 5.5. I can't imagine what things were like in the woods." He smiled at Nessie's mom. "Jacob is lucky you were there. He could have bled out if no one found him until morning."

That's the story they were going with. Nessie's mom found Jacob lost in the woods. Jacob, who seemed completely unaware of his surroundings, panicked and attempted to climb a tree when the earthquake struck. He lost his balance and fell during an aftershock. Uncle Jasper, who'd been hunting nearby, arrived in time to help perform CPR and carry Jacob home. Nessie would never know how anyone believed that load of garbage. Jacob was the bravest guy she knew. He'd never run away when people were in trouble.

Uncle Emmett tossed a broken coffee cup into the garbage. "They say dogs can detect earthquakes. Maybe that's why Black spazzed out."

Nessie growled. Jacob wasn't a dog or a spazz. She hoped he would wake up and set the story straight. His actions that day saved the life of a baby girl. He deserved to be treated like a hero, not a mental patient. It was only a matter of time until everyone found out about the Silver Bullets. It wasn't fair to let everyone think Jacob was going crazy in the meantime.

"Can I see Jacob now?" Nessie asked.

"Not yet," her father said. "Your grandfather is still working on him."

"Why don't you help me pick an entree," Aunt Alice said, gesturing to the kitchen table. "I'm leaning towards chicken, but your father thinks beef would be better."

Both sounded equally disgusting. The scent of beef made her nauseous and she hadn't eaten fish since watching Finding Nemo. She'd much rather have pizza. She swallowed a lump forming in her throat. Pizza was Jacob's favorite food too. Why was everyone thinking about food when Jacob might night even make it to the wedding?

The room went silent when they heard the sound of a bone being snapped back into place. Nessie bit her lip when there was no corresponding scream. Nahuel bellowed the entire time his bones were being set. Why wasn't Jacob doing the same? Couldn't he feel anything? Feeling a bit light-headed, Nessie collapsed into the chair next to aunt Alice.

Grandpa Carlisle appeared in the doorway.

"Nessie, would you like to come in?" he asked with a grim expression on his face. "I'm done now."

Nessie nodded and rose from her chair. Her legs felt like they were made out of Jello.

"Stay here," Nessie's mom said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "He wouldn't want you seeing him like that."

Nessie hesitated. What if her mother was right? Aunt Rose didn't want to see anyone after her accident. She preferred coming to terms with her injuries without an audience. What if Jacob was the same way?

"I think she should come in," Grandpa Carlisle said. "From my experience, the wolves heal better with a...friend nearby."

Nessie's mom crossed her arms. "We've been friends for years. I'll go sit with him."

Nessie had to admit her mother had a point. She'd been friends with Jacob for longer than Nessie had been alive. If he'd want to see anyone it would be her.

"It has to be her Bella, you know that."

"I say let her see him," Uncle Emmett said. "If she's old enough to get married than she's old enough to decide whether not she should see Jacob."

"You saw what he did to Nahuel!" Aunt Rose exclaimed. "He could be dangerous!"

Uncle Emmett laughed. "He's unconscious and half the bones in his body are broken. Even if he wakes up and attacks her, which we all know he won't, there are eight of us and one of him. It wouldn't exactly be a fair fight."

Nessie's mom sighed. "Fine, but only for a few minutes."

With her mother's reluctant blessing, Nessie entered the dining room. She swallowed a lump in her throat. Jacob was sprawled out on the table covered in a white sheet. What little skin remained exposed was covered in bumps, bruises, and bandages. How on earth would he ever be able to smile or laugh again when his entire face was swollen up like a balloon?

"What were you thinking?" Nessie whispered.

The steady sound of his heartbeat was as good an answer as any.

"_I was born with a purpose, to protect people. It's not a job, it's a calling. I'll obey that calling until my last heartbeat." _

Why couldn't he have been born to be a teacher or a lawyer? He deserved to live a long and happy life not to die before he saw his 25th birthday.

Nessie pulled up a chair and positioned it near Jacob's head. She watched his chest rise and fall fearing every breath would be the last. "Jacob," she whispered. "It's Nessie. I'm here. Can you open your eyes?"

She watched his swollen face for any sign of recognition. Nothing.

"Can you wiggle a finger or toe?" Still nothing.

Nessie once read coma patients could hear everything going on around them. She had no idea whether or not that was true but figured hearing the sound of her voice wouldn't do any harm. If only she knew the right words to say. She looked at Jacob's bandaged chest. He looked more like a mummy than a man.

"Hey Jacob," she whispered. "Do you remember my first Halloween? It was sunny, so you had to be the one to take me trick or treating."

She looked up at her grandfather who was standing in the doorway.

"Is it alright if I hold his hand?"

Grandpa Carlisle nodded. "Be gentle."

Nessie took Jacob's hand in hers and started projecting. "You suggested we go as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf."

Uncle Emmett snickered in the kitchen.

"I bet you weren't expecting I would want to be the wolf." Despite the dire situation, Nessie found herself smiling. "You didn't even complain when Aunt Alice sent you out in one of Aunt Rose's dresses." Nessie couldn't see Aunt Rose but knew she'd be glaring at Aunt Alice for ruining her favorite outfit. "I know I'm a bit old for it, but I think we should go trick-or-treating again this year. You can be the wolf this time." She paused to wait for a response she feared would never come. "I'll even let you have all my Snicker's bars and Kit-Kats. All you have to do is wake up." She gently squeezed his hand. Nothing.

Suddenly feeling all 30 hours she'd been awake, Nessie released Jacob's hand and leaned back in her chair.

"Nessie," her mother said softly. "You should go lay down for a while. I'll stay here with Jacob."

Nessie was exhausted, but there wasn't a chance she was leaving Jacob's side. Uncle Jasper was always saying to follow her instincts. Her instincts were saying, no screaming, Jacob needed her.

"I'm fine," Nessie said, offering her mother a small smile. "I'd like to stay here until he wakes up."

Nessie's mother looked at Jacob and bit her lip. "Okay. Let me know if you need anything."

Nessie turned her focus back to Jacob. The early morning sun streamed through the windows making it seem like he was glowing. If only she had her camera. Grandma Esme would agree a scene that beautiful should be preserved for future generations. Nessie did her best to freeze the scene in her mind and reluctantly stood up to close the blinds. Jacob always hated it when he woke to the sun shining in his eyes.

"Thanks," Jacob muttered.


	13. Chapter 13

Nahuel paused in the hallway outside Nessie's bedroom. It would be so easy to go inside and wrap his arms around her. As always, she'd know the magic words that would chase the darkness away. She'd tuck him into bed and whisper how much she loved him. She'd pick a book from her collection, probably Harry Potter or Wuthering Heights, and read aloud until he fell asleep. By the time he woke up, things wouldn't seem so bleak. As great as all that sounded, Naheul couldn't bring himself to knock. Monsters didn't deserve the love of the most beautiful woman in the world.

Nahuel slipped into the bathroom and turned the shower on as hot as it would go. Maybe shower number three would do the trick. He stepped into the scalding hot water. If only he were human. He'd gladly burn his skin off to feel clean again. He didn't even flinch when the scratches on his back started to burn. He hoped they'd never heal. He deserved to be reminded of what he'd done every time he put on a shirt or stepped into the shower.

Nahuel threw the empty shampoo bottle out of the shower as hard as he could. It smashed against the wall leaving behind a half-moon shaped scrape on the paint. Why wasn't it working? He'd used up every ounce of soap, including an entire bottle of Rose's imported French shampoo, yet he still reeked of blood. He could feel it running down his chin and pooling on his chest. It was no wonder the werewolf attacked. He prayed Carlisle would be able to put his bones back together again. Nahuel feared there would be no relief until the wolf finished what he started.

Nahuel hiccuped and nearly threw up when he tasted iron. He scrambled over to the sink and grabbed a toothbrush at random not caring one bit who the owner was. He squeezed out half a tube of cinnamon toothpaste and scrubbed his traitorous teeth, or more accurately fangs, until the bristles wore out. He spat and nearly fainted when the sink turned pink. He downed cap after cap full of minty-fresh mouthwash. It felt like dragging hot coals over his mouth, but he didn't even consider stopping. After what he'd done he deserved the pain.

With the mouthwash empty, Nahuel started digging through the cabinets. There had to be something capable of making him feel clean again. Windex did little to cancel out the smell of iron. Nail polish remover couldn't erase the dirt staining his cuticles. Air freshener only reminded him of her sickly sweet perfume. He was about to give up when salvation came in the form of a one-gallon container. If it worked on the toilet bowl then it would work on the marble-like flesh of his stomach.

With his hands shaking like a leaf, Nahuel unscrewed the cap and raised the bottle to his lips. He was about to take a sip when someone knocked on the door.

"Nahuel!" Jasper shouted. "Are you okay?"

Nahuel tensed up. What was Jasper doing outside the bathroom? He should have been next door comforting Nessie or downstairs tending to Jacob's wounds.

"Nahuel! Jasper repeated. "Are you okay! Open the door!"

Knowing he had only seconds left, Nahuel tipped his head back and parted his lips. At long last sweet relief.

The door exploded leaving behind a cloud of dust and splinters of wood.

"What are you doing! Stop!" Jasper shouted, snatching the bleach from Naheul's hands.

Nahuel tried to explain, but could only grunt. It felt like he'd been gargling with broken glass. He curled up in the fetal position and held his stomach.

"Nessie!" Carlisle!" Jasper screamed. "Get up here right now!"

Carlisle appeared out of thin air. Nahuel noted a single spot of blood near the color of his shirt. Judging by the rotten smell it was werewolf blood. Had his attempts to save Jacob's life been successful? Nahuel hoped so. He couldn't bear the thought of Nessie once again being tormented by nightmares.

"What's wrong?"Carlisle asked Jasper.

"He drank bleach!" Jasper exclaimed pointing an accusatory finger at Nahuel.

"How much?"

Jasper shook the container. "About half a gallon. What do we do? Make him throw up?"

"No, it would do more damage coming back up."Carlisle crouched down next to Nahuel. "How are you feeling?"

Nahuel whimpered. His mouth was one giant blister and his stomach felt like it was full of lava.

Nessie appeared in the doorway. Nahuel was shocked to see her eyes were bloodshot from crying. Like all who'd survived the snap, Nessie was tough and resilient. She'd faced instability, incredible loss, and on more than one occasion mortal danger without shedding a single tear. He didn't blame her for losing her cool. The last 24 hours had proven nothing in life, including death, was certain.

"What happened?" Nessie asked, noting her fiance curled up on the carpet like a donut. "Are you okay?"

"He drank bleach!" Jasper said gesturing wildly to the half-empty container.

Nessie gasped. "Why?"

"I suspect it was a suicide attempt."

That wasn't right. Nahuel hadn't been trying to kill himself. Death was too kind a fate for a creature like him. He deserved to spend the rest of eternity suffering for his sins.

"He wouldn't do that," Nessie said firmly. "It must have been an accident." She locked eyes with Nahuel. "It was a mistake, right?"

Nahuel nodded. The bleach hadn't done its job. He could still taste her blood. He should have picked something stronger, like Drano or that new acid Rose was brewing in the command center.

Jasper scowled. "No one drinks half a gallon of bleach by accident."

"I'm sorry," Nahuel mouthed. He closed his eyes and grimaced. Trying to speak those two words had been a mistake.

Nessie took Nahuel's hand and squeezed. "You have nothing to be sorry for. My grandpa is going to fix you up and everything will be fine."

Nahuel closed his eyes. It wasn't going to be fine. Things were never going to be fine again.

Carlisle shook Nahuel's shoulder. "Nahuel, son, you need to stay awake."

Nahuel opened his eyes and looked at Carlisle. As a doctor, he'd saved thousands of lives. Would he still call Nahuel son if he knew about the girl?

Carlisle picked Nahuel up and carried him to Nessie's room. He gently laid him down on the bed and covered him with a blanket. Nahuel tossed the blanket off. Why hadn't Carlisle laid him on the floor like the filthy animal he was? He didn't deserve to be tucked into bed like a sick child.

"Stay here with him," Carlisle said to Nessie and Jasper. "I'll be right back."

Nessie, who'd stopped crying, crawled into bed next to Nahuel

"You're going to be okay," she whispered as she rubbed small circles on his back.

She put a hand on his forehead and started to project. She showed him a scene from their first date, a picnic on the shore of Lake Michigan. They ate blood pops and spent the day splashing in the waves and making sandcastles. By the time the sun went down, they both knew they'd found their soulmates. If only Nessie knew what would happen two years later. She would never have agreed to a second date with a monster.

Carlisle returned with a cup and two pitchers of water. "Drink this," he said, handing Nahuel the cup. "It will help delude the contents of your stomach."

"Will he be okay?" Nessie asked.

He watched Naheul take a sip of water. "We'll have to wait and see."

Nahuel started on the second pitcher of water. His mouth and throat were starting to feel a little less raw. If the rate at which his ribs healed applied to the rest of his body, then he'd be good as new by morning. If only the same were true for his mind. Those scars would never heal. He'd never go back to being the guy who cared for little beyond his fiance and whether or not the Chicago White Cubs would make it to the world series.

"Nessie?" Jacob called weakly from the living room. "Where are you?"

Nessie looked at the doorway then back at Nahuel. She bit her lip and fiddled with one of her curls.

"Go," Nahuel mouthed.

Jacob was a hero. He'd put his life on the line to save an innocent child. He deserved to have a friend at his side.

Nessie wrapped her arms around Naheul and snuggled against his neck. "My mom will take care of Jacob." She pressed her lips against his. "I'm not leaving you now or ever."

Nahuel kissed her back for what he feared would be the last time. His eyelids grew heavy, Jasper's influence no doubt. He fought to stay awake knowing it wouldn't be a peaceful sleep.

"It's alright," Nessie cooed. "You can sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

The last thing he remembered before giving in to sleep was Rose entering the room carrying a tablet.

"Carlisle," she said, offering him the tablet. "I was able to get through to Esme. She'd like to speak to you."


	14. Chapter 14

"And they said it couldn't be done," Esme thought as a smile spread across her face. The scene unfolding outside her office window was nothing short of a miracle. The fairy children were playing a game of Quidditch against the elves. The game had been going on for close to an hour without a single player being hexed or losing a limb. It was a vast improvement from last month's football game which ended in the quarterback being sent into another dimension. Had she known such a thing were possible she would have invited Mr. Potter to visit years ago.

Esme held her breath as the seekers raced after the golden snitch. The fairy seeker leaned forwards on her broom and caught the snitch. She high fived the elf seeker and did a victory lap around the field. Would this fragile peace last when their parents arrived or would a three generation-long war pick up right where it left off?

Esme glanced over at the chair next to her. She wondered what it would be like if it were Carlisle rather than a stack of spellbooks occupying the recliner. Would he be proud of all she'd accomplished? She'd never allowed herself to ask that all-important question before. As she told her students, there was no point worrying about the opinions of the dead. She couldn't allow herself to hope. It would only lead to heartbreak if what was happening in Volterra didn't extend to the United States.

On a normal day, Emse would have grabbed her broom and headed outside to join the children. While she couldn't fly or do more than simple spells, her speed made her a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, games would have to wait. Msui, one of the junior guards, entered without even stopping to knock.

"My queen," Msui wheezed. "There's a little...situation downstairs."

Given the yellow glow of Msui's skin, Emse surmised there was more than a little situation going on downstairs. She closed the windows and turned to face him. "Did you offer him something to eat?"

Msui's skin glowed green. "We gave him a bowl of Iron Blood but he wouldn't drink it. He wanted human blood."

Esme wasn't surprised. Aro had feasted on the blood of tourists for hundreds of years. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for him to adjust to the vegetarian lifestyle. "Thank you for letting me know. I'll take care of it," Esme said as she strapped a silver knife to her leg. Though she prayed she wouldn't have to use it, it paid to be prepared. She'd learned that lesson the hard way.

Msui remained frozen in the doorway. "Are you sure? Do you want me to come with you?"

Esme waved him off. "No, that's alright. Go help the others keep watch over the gates. I expect there will be more visitors."

Esme left her sunny office and descended deep into the bowels of the castle. She didn't like sending anyone to the dungeons, but she had no other choice. It was for Aro's own protection.

Esme quickened her pace when she heard yelling. In a place like Volterra, a simple argument could easily lead to bloodshed. She arrived in the dungeon just in time to prevent what could easily become the biggest mistake of Aro's life.

"Release me!" Aro screeched.

Spyro, the head of the guards, rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course. What was I thinking? The bloodthirsty vampire should be allowed free reign of the castle." He held his keys at eye level, jingled them, and shoved them in his pocket. "I'll release you right away."

Aro glared at Spyro. Spyro glared back with a look that could have curdled dairy.

Aro picked up a ceramic bowl and threw it out of the cell. The bowl shattered against Spyro's chest soaking him in blood.

"You shouldn't have done that," Sypro growled, reaching for his keys.

Knowing she had only seconds before the smoke coming out of Spyro's nostrils became fire, Esme stepped in to break things up.

"I'll take it from her," She said, placing herself between Spyro and Aro's cell. "Why don't you go upstairs and get cleaned up. There's still half a lamb in the fridge if you're hungry."

Spyro nodded. The only force stronger than his temper was his loyalty to Esme.

"Yes my Queen." He jerked his head towards Aro. "Let me know if you need any help with the cleanup."

Spyro left the dungeon taking the cloud of smoke with him. She didn't even flinch when Aro launched himself at the door of his cell. She had complete faith in the cell's integrity. The magic encased within those iron bars had restrained creatures far more volatile than ancient vampires.

"Release me at once!" Aro exclaimed.

Esme crossed her arms. "As I said before, you're in there for your own good."

"How is being locked away like an animal for my own good?"

Esme could still smell traces of smoke. "Just trust me."

Little did Aro know how lucky he was. Chelsea woke up face down in the garden surrounded by guards. She was torn apart before she had the chance to get her bearings. Aro would have met the same fate had he not woken up alone in Esme's office.

"Why would I trust the one who put me here in the first place?" Aro glared at Esme. "I demand you release me this instant!"

"Calm down. Shouting won't do you any good."

"Calm down? How do you expect me to calm down? My home has been overrun by monsters!"

"They aren't monsters, they're children."

Esme couldn't have been more surprised when the guards brought her a fairy child who'd been setting forest fires. She was dirty, hungry, and unable to control her growling magical powers. Esme took the child in and taught her how to use her powers for good. Knowing there were more children like her out there, Esme sent the members of the guard to investigate any claims of paranormal activity. The castle soon became home to elves, aliens, and creatures most thought only existed in fairy tales. There were some bumps and burns along the way, but Esme never regretted opening her home to those in need.

Aro grabbed the bars and shook. "Monsters, children, whatever they are, I want them gone! Let me out so I can reclaim my house!"

"This is their home now. No one will be leaving unless they want to."

Esme tapped her foot on the ground. The conversation wasn't going anywhere. She had better things than trying to make a madman see reason.

Aro growled. "Where is Marcus?"

"Gone. We don't expect him to return."

Freed from Chelsea 's influence, Marcus left the castle vowing never to return. No one had heard from or seen him since. Esme hoped whenever he was he'd found peace. He deserved it after everything Aro and Caius put him through.

"And Caius?"

"Dead."

After Marcus left, the remaining guard turned on Caius. They were tired of following orders from a ranting lunatic and feeding on humans. Caius was put on trial, found guilty of treason, and executed. After a brief period of turmoil, a vote was cast to determine the next leader. Esme and her promise to put an end to the bloodshed won by a landslide.

As expected, Aro's didn't vibrant red eyes didn't show an ounce of emotion over his departed coven mate.

"I would like to see Sulpicia," he snapped. "Where is she?"

Esme hesitated before answering. "I don't know."

Freed from Corin's influence, Sulpicia left the castle and became a nomad. The last Esme heard she was hunting bears somewhere in northern Canada. If Sulpicia was smart she'd never set foot anywhere near Italy again. Aro would be livid if he found out she'd married a new mate less than six months after he died.

Aro turned away from Esme. "Do you intend to kill me?"

Esme shrugged. She hadn't decided what to do with Aro. If released, he posed a threat to humans everywhere. Keeping him in a cell was an option, but it wasn't a long term solution. Sooner or later he'd piss off the wrong guard and end up a smoldering pile of ash. Esme wished she could talk to Carlisle. He'd lived with Aro for decades. Maybe he could talk some sense into him.

Msui entered the dungeon holding Esme's tablet. "My queen, we were able to get through to your daughter,"

Esme didn't need to ask which one of her daughters. The pink tone of Msui's skin declared it was Rose. While they'd only met once, Msui was convinced they were soulmates. Unfortunately for him, Rose didn't feel the same way. She blocked him on Facebook, threw away any gifts, and refused to meet his parents. While Esme hated to see Msui treated so poorly, she couldn't blame Rose. How could she expect Rose to replace Emmett when the thought of someone laying on Carlisle 's side of the bed still felt like a knife to the chest?

Esme accepted the tablet with shaky hands and went upstairs to her office. She locked the door giving herself the illusion of privacy. Fearing her legs would soon give out, she curled up in the recliner. She balanced the tablet on her knees and turned the camera and mic back on.

"Rose, are you still there?"

A crystal clear picture of Rose appeared on the screen. "I'm here, mom."

A pit formed in Esme's stomach. Rose had called her mom twice, once of the day of the snap, and once when they said goodbye at the airport.

Esme took a deep breath to calm her frayed nerves. "Rose, honey, have you received any unexpected visitors today?"

Rose nodded. "Yes."

"Is it...them?"

"They're all here. Jacob too."

Esme's head was spinning. Five years of mourning was coming to end. It was almost too good to be true. There had to be a catch. There was always a catch.

"Can I talk to Carlisle?"


	15. Chapter 15

When faced with a problem, Esme usually headed straight to the library. By far the largest room in the castle, the library housed thousands of books on philosophy, science, and mythology. Some were brand new college textbooks while others contained stories written in languages no one had spoken out loud for centuries. Thanks to an alien refugee, there were even a few texts penned on other planets. No matter what threat she faced, be it a demon or an out of control wizard, Esme was sure to find the answer in the library.

Unfortunately, Esme feared the library couldn't save them this time. She'd already spent countless nights searching for a way to bring back those she'd lost. While she came across accounts of successful necromancers, each story came with a warning-don't mess with the dead. Those who snatched from their graves quickly devolved into soulless vessels, zombies with little regard for their loved ones. While a single zombie could be taken out with decapitation or a simple spell, billions would overwhelm battered remains of humanity. If that happened, all the books in the world wouldn't be able to save them.

Esme was forced to mute her microphone when Rose carried the tablet through the house. It had to be a cruel joke. A household once silenced by unimaginable grief was now bursting with life. She could hear Emmett laughing and Alice chatting with Bella. The sweet sound of Edward playing the piano, Bella's lullaby if she wasn't mistaken, filled the air. It was too good to be true. Happy endings like this didn't happen in real life.

"Hey Mom," Rose said, starling Esme. "I'm handing you over to dad now."

Although she had long ago abandoned her faith, Esme looked down at her wedding band and said a silent prayer.

"Esme," Carlisle said, his voice just as Esme remembered it. "Are you there? Can you hear me?"

There were so many things Esme wanted to ask him. Is it really you? Are you okay? How is this possible? I've missed you. In the end, all that came out was his name.

"Carlisle?"

"Yes, my love. It's me. I'm back."

Esme was thankful vampires couldn't cry. If he wasn't who he claimed to be, or if he was on the verge of attacking, it would be a fatal mistake to show any signs of weakness.

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asked.

Although she was far from okay, Esme nodded.

"Is there something wrong?" Carlisle asked.

What wasn't wrong? Billions of people had been raised from the dead. There was a vampire hell-bent on revenge locked up in the dungeon. Everything she'd worked so hard to build was at risk of being destroyed. If it hadn't happened already, the humans were probably rioting in the streets. Lives would be lost. Despite all this, Esme shook her head and forced a smile.

"You can tell me if there's something wrong," Carlisle said. "You know that, right?"

On the verge of a breakdown, Esme turned off her camera and muted her microphone. As Carlisle's wife, she wanted to tell him everything. How she'd done the impossible and tuned a place stained with death into a haven for mythical creatures. How their children had grown from high school students to superheroes. Together, they could celebrate those who had been saved and mourn those for whom nothing could be done. It would be so easy, as natural as breathing, but she couldn't. At least not yet. There was far too much to lose if things weren't as they appeared.

"Esme?" Are you still there?" Carlisle asked. "Did we lose the connection?"

Esme took a deep breath and re-enabled her webcam. "I'm still here."

"Good." he paused. "There's a lot we need to talk about. It's about the kids, I'm a bit concerned about how they've been spending their time."

Esme gripped the corner of her desk. The dark maple splintered. Why had the kids so willingly given up their secret? Didn't they know how easy it was for wolves to don sheep's clothing?

"Are you aware Nessie is the only one attending school?" Carlisle asked.

Esme relaxed. The kids must not have told him yet. If they had, he'd be panicking over them spending their days going to toe to toe with Chicago's most notorious criminals instead of worrying about another set of useless diplomas.

Relieved her children did have common sense, Esme released the corner of her desk. "I'm aware."

"And you haven't put a stop to it?"

Esme shrugged. "No."

Aside from Nessie, each of the kids had been stuck in a groundhog day cycle of high school classes for years. Jasper was a walking encyclopedia of historical facts. Rose was rivaled by none when it came to math and science. If given a pen and paper, Bella could write the next great American novel without breaking a sweat. For those three, high school would be nothing more than a distraction and a waste of time. They needed to focus all their efforts on preventing the city from tearing itself apart.

"Aren't you concerned about what the neighbors think?" Carlisle asked. "We agreed decades ago that while unpleasant, the kids needed to stay in school to keep up appearances. It's a miracle no one has alerted the authorities to a house full of parentless teenagers."

Esme shrugged. "Times have changed more than you realize. The kids don't have to attend school if they don't want to."

Times had changed in so many ways since the early days of the Cullen clan. The past hundred years had ushered in a new era of superheroes, monsters, and space travel. If the neighbors ever did find out the kids were vampires they probably wouldn't' dwell on it for long. Finding out your neighbors were vampires wasn't that big of a deal when you'd already survived a giant purple alien to turn half of all life to dust.

Carlisle rubbed his temples. "Did you know Jasper and Bella have changed their last names?"

Esme sighed. "Yes."

Did Carlisle think so little of her? Of course, she knew. While she lived across the world, that didn't mean she'd completely cut ties with her children.

"Why would they do something like that?" Carlisle asked. "Do they hate us? Are they ashamed of the Cullen legacy?

If anything, the opposite was true. While she didn't show it outwardly, losing Edward devastated Bella. It was hard for her to write the name Bella Cullen when she no longer had the man who gave her that name next to her. While Nessie refused to go along with it, Bella decided to change her name back to Swan to spare herself the pain every time she filled out a form. Much to Esme's surprise, Jasper followed suit six months later without giving a reason. Esme suspected it wouldn't be long until one of them decided to change their last name again. One tended to do that after a trip down the aisle.

"When can we expect you home?" Carlisle asked.

Esme hesitated. "I don't know. I have responsibilities here."

She couldn't leave Italy on a whim. Those living in the castle would need both her compassion and firm leadership during what was sure to be a tumultuous time.

"Responsibilities that are more important than your children?" he lowered his voice to a whisper. "More important than me?"

The hair on the back of Esme's neck raised. Could this all be a ruse to lure her away from the castle? If this were the real Carlisle he would have been a bit more understanding. He'd used that same excuse dozens of times when patients needed his attention after hours. He'd missed countless graduations, birthdays, and holidays. It used to make her mad but now she understood. Some things were more important than family game night.

Carlisle looked at Esme's hand and inhaled sharply. The plain silver band he'd given her all those years ago was now a flawless gold. It was an unfortunate alchemy accident that Esme hadn't yet figured out how to reverse.

Sadness clouded Carlisle's features. It was the same look he wore when Edward announced he'd broken up with Bella and when Rose said she wished he'd just let her die.

"Is there someone else?" Carlisle asked.

While Esme was offered companionship from both humans and not so human creatures, she'd never accepted a single offer. No one could ever take her one true soulmate's place.

"No, of course not!" Esme exclaimed, broken-hearted by the lack of spark in Carlisle's eyes. "It's not what it looks like. I can explain! It was al-"

Unfortunately, Esme's explanation was cut off mid-sentence by a deafening explosion. The lights flicked and the wifi went down. Esme moaned and slammed the tablet down on her desk. Out of all the times for a power outage, why did it have to be now?

Seconds later, Msui and Tikon, one of the new guards, rushed into Esme's office.

"My queen, you must come to the dungeons at once!" Msui exclaimed.

Esme stood up and pushed all thoughts of her family to the back of her mind. "What happened?"

"The vampire, he's escaped!" said Tikon.

"He left a message in his cell," Msui said. "I think you ought to see it?"

Esme sighed. "Show me."

Knowing Aro, it would be something overly dramatic and vaguely threatening. Dealing with his tantrum was the last thing she needed.

Tikon led Esme down to the dungeons. Inside the empty cell was a badly injured Spyro. Half his blood was on the floor and his limbs were positioned in odd angles.

"Take his room," Esme said.

"Shouldn't we take him to the infirmary?" Tikon asked, looking a good two shades lighter than his usual crimson.

"No," Esme said.

While the scene before them seemed horrific, Esme knew it took much more than a broken neck and a shredded jugular to keep a creature like Spyro down for long. He probably wouldn't even be late for his next shift. The experience may even turn out to be a good thing for him. Spyo had gotten a bit cocky after winning the yearly brawling tournament. It was far past time someone took him down a peg or two.

"Why shouldn't we take him to the infirmary?" Tikon asked. "He doesn't look good."

Esme wondered if she should send Tikon to the infirmary. He wasn't looking too great himself.

"It's best he wakes up somewhere a bit less...flammable," Msui said.

Spryo tended to heal quickly and wake up ready for war. It was best if he woke up safe and sound in his room where no one was at risk of being barbequed. They'd learned that lesson the hard way last time.

Tikon swallowed hard. "Flammable?"

"Tikon, why don't you head upstairs and lay down for awhile," Esme said, effortless switching from fierce leader to living mother. "Msui and I have this handled."

"Are you sure," Tikon asked.

Esme nodded. Tikon flashed her what passed as a smile for him and limped out of the dungeon. Esme suspected this would be the last they ever saw of Tikon. As much as she hated to see him go, she didn't blame him. Being a Volturi guard wasn't a job for the faint of heart.

"What do you make of the message?" Msui asked Esme after he heard the door slam shut behind Tikon.

Esme stepped into the cell being careful not to allow a single drop of Spyo's sizzling blood to touch her feet. She shook her hand when she saw the message Five years ago she would have been horrified to see the words, "See you in Chicago." scrawled on the wall in blood. Now it was more funny than anything. Aro had no idea what he was up against.


	16. Chapter 16

Bella took one last sniff and pulled the hoodie off over her head. Had she been human, she would have cried the instant the soft cotton fabric left her skin. Not because she was cold, her rock hard vampire skin wasn't bothered by the cool Chicago air, but because she was losing the sweet, earthy scent. She could still pick out Jasper's scent from across the house, but it wasn't the same as having it wrapped around her torso. Now that Edward and Alice were back, she'd have to sustain herself on faint traces and discreet glances.

Bella turned her attention to the closet with a sour expression on her face. Alice had already started making little digs about Bella's choice of attire. Leave it to Alice to worry about Bella's tattered hoodie instead of the billions of people who'd risen from the dead. While no longer one to be pushed around, Bella was far too tired to argue with Alice. Better to change now than spend the rest of the day hearing how "she'd really let herself go."

Bella started flipping through the clothes hanging in her closet. Her reenactment dress? Not a chance. Alice would burn her at the stake for owning let alone wearing a dress that had been out of fashion for 150 years. A blue v-neck? Better, but she'd worn the first time Jasper asked her out on a date. Alice might begrudgingly approve of the light yellow sundress but she'd quickly change her tune if she knew it was what Bella was wearing the first time she kissed Jasper. Bella winced when she came across the last potential outfit choice, a dark blue Parada dress.

"You should pick that one," Edward said. "Alice can't complain about something she picked."

Wrong. Alice replaced her wardrobe on a near-monthly basis saying she must have been suffering from temporary insanity during her last shopping trip. Edward had to be suffering from temporary insanity if he thought there was even a remote chance of Alice approving a five-year-old dress.

"You wore it on our last date," Edward said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

And to Edward's funeral two weeks later.

"We went to the movies, remember?" Edward asked.

Bella clenched her jaw. "Yes, I remember."

She remembered the Indy flick they watched as if it were yesterday. Edward thought it was an artistic masterpiece while Bella found it a tad depressing. Edward told her she'd learn to appreciate things like that when she got a little older. Five years later Bella still didn't understand why anyone would want to spend a perfectly good afternoon watching a baby bird learn to fly old to get eaten by an old tomcat.

"Do you remember the soundtrack?" Edward asked. "It was phenomenal."

"Of course."

How could she forget the same three notes played on repeat for 90 minutes? She also remembered the fight they had on the way back home. She wanted to go with Jasper to a Civil War reenactment but Edward wouldn't hear of it. Bella lost that fight and spent the weekend brooding while Edward played her lullaby on repeat. By the end of the weekend, she was angry enough to smash that stupid piano. As good as it would have felt, she didn't end up breaking the piano. Instead, she forced a smile and thanked Edward for playing her song. Not everyone was lucking enough to have a husband who spent his time writing music instead of brawling at the bar or flirting with other women.

"Do you remember the shirt I wore?" Edward asked.

She remembered Edward's outfit. Grey dress pants and a black button-up more suitable for a funeral than a date. Bella noticed one of Jasper's old t-shirts wedged in the back corner of her closet. It was light blue, the perfect color for a spring wedding.

"You don't still have it or any of my other clothes, do you?" Edward asked. "Jasper's clothes are a little tight on me." He gestured to a grey t-shirt straining at the seams. Bella didn't know if she should laugh or cry. It was the same shirt Jasper was wearing when he asked Bella to be his girlfriend.

"Do you still have any of my clothes?" Edward repeated.

Bella shook her head. "No."

Bella couldn't bear to enter their room for close to a month after Edward died. Seeing the rows of CDs nearly brought her to her knees. Never again would he write a song for her or suggest a midnight dance. Even the closet filled with his clothes seemed to mock her. "_See what you've lost? He'll never wear us again." _When they moved, Bella left almost everything behind. It was too painful to live in a shrine to her dead husband.

"It's alright," Edward said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm sure Alice will buy us all new clothes by the end of the weekend."

Everyone except Emmett. Every stitch of clothing, including his old gym uniform, was packed away in boxes marked Christmas decorations. At the time, Bella didn't understand why Rose kept Emmett's things. Opening those boxes, picking at old wounds, brought nothing but pain. Even Esme, who'd been married to Carlisle for over a century, had parted with everything but her husband's old journals and book collection. While it hurt, it was time for them to move on. It's what their husbands would have wanted. Now that Edward was back, Bella wished she'd thought to save at least one of his outfits. Seeing him in Jasper's favorite shirt was wrong on so many levels.

"Do you have anything of mine?" Edward asked.

"Yes."

Bella stood on her tiptoes a small cardboard box out of the closet. It had been months since she thought about it and even longer since she opened it. Edward wiped off a thick layer of dust and flipped open the lid. Inside was an assortment of objects including an envelope of pictures, an ornament from their first Christmas together, and a DVD of their wedding.

Edward frowned and reached for the large plastic bin taking up most of the top shelf. Bella's eyes widened. If he opened that box he'd find shells from the beach, movie ticket stubs, and framed photos of her and Jasper. Any of those things would lead to a very difficult conversation, one she wasn't quite ready to have yet.

Bella grabbed his wrist before he could touch it. "No, there's nothing more of yours in there."

"This is all?" he picked through the box as if hoping it would open up a portal to more of his things. "What about my diplomas and my music collection?" He raised his voice. "Please tell me you didn't get rid of my mother's jewelry."

Five years ago, Bella would have fallen on her knees begging for forgiveness if there was even so much as a chance she'd upset her perfect husband. He was her best friend, protector, and soulmate. She was nothing without him. Five years later, his anger was more offensive than scary. Did Edward really think she was heartless enough to toss family heirlooms into the dumpster as his empty coffin was being lowered into the earth?

Bella forced her lips into a smile. "Nessie still has most of your music. As for your diplomas, you'd have to ask Rose. They're either tucked away in the crawl space or in Italy with Esme."

"And the jewelry?"

"I saved it for Nessie. It's all downstairs in the safe."

It was important to Nessie that all of her family members, both living and dead, be a part of her wedding. She planned on wearing one of Alice's veils and a necklace that belonged to Edward's mother. Nahuel would wear Carlisle's cufflinks and one of Emmett's ties. Jasper was going to walk Nessie down the aisle while a song Edward wrote for Bella played.

Edward visibly relaxed. "I'm sorry for shouting. I know you wouldn't have just erased me from your life."

"It's alright." She offered him a weak smile. "It's been a long few days."

For a time, Bella had tried to erase Edward from her life. She forbid Nessie from talking about him and fought Rose over the placement of their last complete family photo over the fireplace. She figured if she didn't think about him the crushing pain would leave her alone. It didn't take her long to discover that, try as she might, she couldn't forget Edward. Perfect vampire memory was both a blessing and a curse.

Bella then moved on to hating Edward. In high school, he made her fall in love only to abandon her in the woods "for her own good." For months, she felt useless and unworthy of love. Then Edward came back, earned her forgiveness, and proceeded to control her every move for the better part of a decade. He allowed Alice to steal her clothes and tried to prevent any sort of friendship with Jasper or Jacob. She was never allowed out on her own or to develop into someone more three dimensional than a naive teenager married and pregnant before she was old enough to drink.

While Bella still hadn't completely forgiven Edward, the hatred had faded with time. She looked back on their time together as a necessary turning point in her life. Edward was her first true love. Without him, she would have never met the Cullens family, discovered the vampire world, or had her beautiful daughter. She would have ended up stuck in a mundane human life and never met her one true soul mate. Though not always easy or fun, she wouldn't trade her current life for the world. If that met accepting Edward as part of her past and future, then so be it.

While Bella once said in a fit of anger she was glad Edward was dead, this was no longer the case. She was genuinely glad to see him alive and well. Nothing made her happier than the look on Nessie's face when their family was reunited after years of painful separation. Bella hoped Edward understood how much the last five years had changed her. She was a stronger person now, one who knew her worth and the meaning of true love. Things were never going back to the way they were.

Edward wrapped his arms around Bella and squeezed. His embrace was gentle as if she were still a human capable of bruised and broken bones. Bella was thankful he couldn't read her mind. There was no telling how he would have reacted to a brief memory of her head lying on Jasper's bare chest.

"Can I ask you something?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded, hoping it wouldn't be anything too messy.

"Why is your shield up?" he lowered his voice to the tone he used to soothe Nessie after nightmares. "You know none of us are going to hurt you, right?"

"Yes."

While Bella knew none of them would hurt her physically, they were all capable of causing her pain. The Cullen family had undergone an irreversible metamorphosis over the past five years. Bella expected there would be some resistance to the new normal. Carlisle would likely try to resume his role as the patriarch of the family. Alice and Edward would try to reclaim their former partners. Jacob was a bit of a wild card. He'd either slowly gone insane watching Nessie marry another man or try to claim her for himself. There was no telling if the Cullen family would become one again or remain fractured permanently.

"Can you lower your shield? Edward asked. "I'd like to see what I've missed over the last five years. Nessie's first date, Jasper's slip-ups, your time in Chicago. Those kinds of things."

Jasper hadn't had a single slip up since her infamous birthday party. He'd been withing striking distance of injured humans more times than she could count yet he'd never taken a single sip of anything but Iron Blood or the occasional deer. What would it take for Edward to get it through his thick skull that Jasper had changed?

Bella clenched her jaw. "I can't."

There wasn't a chance in the world she was going to lower her shield.

"Why not?" Edward furrowed his brow. "Don't you trust me?"

Why couldn't Edward see not everything was about him? Her shield wasn't just protecting her, it was protecting everyone within five miles of the house. With additional training and some help from Jasper and Rose, she hoped to have the whole city covered by the end of the year.

Bella shrugged. "It's complicated."

"Why?"

Bella looked into Edward's eyes. His golden irises were starting to turn black. The cross country journey had taken a lot out of him. He'd need to feed soon. Thank goodness for Tony Stark and his artificial blood. It wasn't safe for Edward, or anyone else, to leave the house to hunt.

"Please?" Edward asked. "Just a quick glimpse."

As much as Bella wanted to show him Nessie's first day of school and the fun she'd had exploring the city he'd once called home, she couldn't lower her shield. Their enemies didn't send a save the date before attacking. Lowering her shield, even for a minute, could have catastrophic results.

"Bella, what's going on?" Edward asked. "What aren't you telling me?"

Thankfully, Alice and Jasper ran into the room saving Bella from being forced to lie to him.

"I had a vision!" Alice exclaimed. "Aro, he's coming to Chicago!"

"Is he going to attack?" Edward asked.

"I don't know!" Alice cried. "I can't see anything beyond him arriving in the city!"

Edward growled. "It must be that mutt blocking your vision."

Or three heroes making spur of the moment life and death decisions.

"What are we going to do?" Alice said. "We are in no way ready for a Volturi attack!"

Bella and Jasper grinned. While Alice and Edward weren't ready, they certainly were. A single pissed off vampire would be no trouble for the Silver Bullets.


	17. Chapter 17

Jasper crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. He was bored out of his mind. It had been a long 48 hours of listening to plans each more ridiculous than the last. Each idea suggested would either destroy the house (Alice), draw unnecessary attention (Edward), or get them killed (Carlisle). Why couldn't they just trust those who hadn't spend the last few years pushing daises had the whole Aro thing handled?

Jasper looked up at the ceiling. He could hear Jacob pacing the length of the attic at human speed. He'd been trapped up there for the last two days not allowed to even think about coming downstairs. Every now and then someone, usually Edward, would go upstairs and scold him for Alice's lack of visions. Jasper felt a tad bad about that. Jacob wasn't to blame for Alice's gift being disrupted. If it was anyone's fault it was the Silver Bullets and their unfortunate habit of ending up in life or death situations without a battle plan or an exit strategy.

Jasper heard the bathroom door click closed and looked over at Rose with a smug look on his face. Rose flipped him the bird and went back to nodding along with Edward's ridiculous plan. Was it really just last week Nahuel asked about joining the Silver Bullets? While Rose was in favor of giving him a chance, Jasper didn't think he had the grit and mental strength it took to be a hero. Bella was uncertain. With Rose sidelined, they desperately another body on the street to help with keeping the city under control. On the other hand, Nessie would never forgive them if Nahuel was allowed to join the team while she was stuck at home.

In the end, Bella sided with Jasper, and Nahuel stormed out of the command center vowing he'd prove them wrong. It was now clear turning him down was the right choice. If seeing one dead human drove him to insanity he'd never be able to stomach the gore the Silver Bullets faced on a daily basis.

As soon as the shower started, the attic door squeaked open. Jasper was glad to hear size nine feet scurry up the ladder. Let them have a few minutes alone while the others were distracted with their useless plans. While Jasper was not yet ready to give up his secrets, he hoped Jacob was. It was far past time Nessie learned Nahuel wasn't her only option for a happily ever after. Alice's leg brushed against Jasper's reminding him of the three days of agony it took for him to go from human to vampire. If only someone had been there to tell him there was no need to rush into marriage with the first woman to catch his eye.

Jasper looked across the table at Bella and allowed his mind to wander for a minute or two. Like him, she'd grown weary of the planning session. She was slumped over with her head resting on her forearms. If only they could slip away for an hour or two. Jasper readjusted in his chair and nudged Bella's foot under the table as if by accident.

"Beach," he mouthed.

"Spencer's," Bella mothed back, a mischievous grin on her face.

It was fifty degrees and cloudy, a little chilly for human beachgoers but perfect for a pair of vampires. They'd spend the morning wrapped in each other's arms watching the sun come up over the lake. If he was lucky, there might even be more than kissing.

Edward noticed Jasper's gaze lingering a little too long on the collar of Bella's shirt. His eyes darken and he pulled Bella's chair a little closer to his. Thank goodness for Bella's shield. All hell would have broken loose if Edward knew Jasper was thinking about Bella's new bikini.

"Jasper," Alice said, nudging him a little harder than necessary. "Are you even listening?"

"Of course", Jasper said.

"Then what do you think?"

"About what?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "About calling the Denalis to help us fight Aro."

Jasper resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of their Alaskan "friends." Those cowards had spent the last five years burying their hands in the sand while the world around them fell apart. They didn't help when aliens invaded or when an 8.1 earthquake nearly tore California in half. They didn't bat an eye when Anchorage, a city less than an hour's run away, was nearly wiped off the map by Russian missiles. There wasn't a chance in hell they'd help the Cullens fight Aro. If it came down to it, they'd be much better off calling Jacob's pack. At least they answered the phone.

"I think it's a great idea, " Bella said. "Why don't you, Edward call them." She turned to Carlisle. "And you should call Alistair." she tugged her ear. "Rose, Jasper, and I will make sure the house is secured."

Jasper knew the house was secure but was more than willing to take a lap around the property if it meant a break from the stuffy living room.

Jasper stood and stretched. "Bella and I will cover inside while Rose checks the security system."

"What about me?" Emmett asked, startling Jasper. The usually aloof vampire had been quiet as a church mouse for the last two days. Jasper had been too preoccupied with thoughts of Bella, Aro, and the future of the Silver Bullets to wonder why his class clown of a brother hadn't even smiled when Edward said the word "asinine."

"You can come with me," Rose said taking his hand.

Had Rose lost her mind? Their security system wasn't exactly standard issue. With a few simple keystrokes, it was possible to release a fleet of attack drones or hack into any camera, on or off, in the city. While Emmett could be a bit dense at times, he'd question why their security system was on par with that of the United States army.

Before Jasper could protest, Edward chimed in.

"Bella, I think you should go check on Nessie."

"Why?" Bella asked.

"If I'm not mistaken, she's in the attic with Jacob."

Bella didn't need any further prompting She jumped out of her chair and rocketed up the stairs before Jasper had the chance to tug his ear. He could feel the bliss raining down from the attic. All was well. No need for Bella to go up there leaving him face to face with a vampire radiating the kind of anger he'd only ever felt from serial killers.

"Don't worry, Jasper," Edward said, gripping Jasper's shoulder hard enough to form microfractures. "You don't have to patrol alone. I'll come with you."


	18. Chapter 18

The attic was 267 steps long and 145 steps wide. Boards three, seventeen, and fifty squeaked like captured rabbits. If he stepped on board three more than twice in a row, Edward growled. If he thought about leaving, Alice, whose visions seemed to cause more trouble then they were worth, sent someone, usually Edward, up to yell at him. After two days of breathing in the stale attic air and listening to Edward's snide remarks, Jacob was beyond angry enough to phase and tear the room to shreds. Try as he might, he couldn't phase and had no idea why. Maybe he'd never be able to phase again and was doomed to die a lonely, bitter man surrounded by bickering vampires.

To get his mind out of a very dark place, Jacob sat down on a dusty armchair and tuned into the heated discussion in the dining room. While they had been separated for over five years, the Cullens seemed to have no trouble slipping into their old roles. As always, Carlisle started off strong only to cede control to Edward. Edward poked holes in every plan that wasn't his causing Rose's temper to flare. Alice talked non-stop while flipping through a magazine. Emmett, more brawn than brain, remained silent, probably daydreaming about something that would make a sailor blush.

Troubled by what he heard, Jacob started drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair. He wasn't bothered by the fighting, anyone who spent more than a few days with the Cullens became desensitized to yelling and furniture breaking. What did make him angry was Bella. Bella chimed in now and then only to be shot down by her husband. She didn't fight back, even when she was clearly in the right. Where was the strong, independent woman who managed to successfully balance raising her daughter and defending the city?

Jasper wasn't any better. Despite the fact he'd fought more vampires than the rest of them combined, Jasper rarely spoke up. When he did offer his opinion, he didn't so much as raise his voice when Alice shot his ideas down. After a while, he stopped bothering and joined Bella in the silent, brooding vampire club. He'd fought in the civil war and taken down every villain in the city, yet he went belly up for a couple of melodramatic teenage vampires? How could he be such a coward?

Jacob rolled his eyes and went back to pacing. He'd completed three more trips across the attic when the chanting started. It was soft this time, barely loud enough for him to hear. Ten seconds later, the floorboards vibrated. There wasn't so much as a lull in the conversation downstairs. How could they not be concerned over the eleventh earthquake of the day? Even the humans had to be taking notice by now. Jacob looked up at the ceiling. While he hoped it was only his imagination, it looked like the crack was getting bigger.

Jacob set his worries about earthquakes aside when he heard Edward mention something about Nahuel.

"Nahuel will cover my back while the Denalis come from the north," Edward said. "It's risky, but I think it will work."  
"What about Jacob," Carlisle asked. "Wouldn't he be a better choice?"

Jacob perked up. While he wasn't the greatest leader, he'd always liked Carlisle. He'd patched up members of the dozens of times without asking for anything in return.

Edward scoffed. "Not in his current condition."

Jacob flexed his arms and wiggled his toes. While he couldn't phase, he was still wicked fast and his accelerated healing ability seemed to still be up and running. There was no trace of the fractures that had him moaning in pain two days ago. He was more than ready to join the Cullens in battle.

"Is Nahuel any better?" Rose asked.

"He just needs his mate and a little time to process things." Edward replied."We've all been there before. He'll come around."

Jacob curled his fingers into a fist. In one conversation, Edward had expressed more compassion and trust for Nahuel than he had for Jacob in five years. And the way he referred to Nahuel as Nessie's mate without an ounce of anger? Unbelievable! It had taken Jacob a year to convince Edward to let him babysit Nessie alone for an afternoon. It took two more years of endless begging and Edward poking around in his head to win the right to take Nessie on a day trip to La Push. Even then, Edward still checked in regularly to make sure Jacob's feelings towards Nessie hadn't shirted from pure, brotherly love to something more.

In sharp contrast, Edward had spent less than a week with Naheul and was willing to let him marry his only daughter. It didn't make any sense. Thanks to Bella's shield, he hadn't even been able to read Nahuel's mind. He had no idea what Nahuel's true intentions were. All he had to go on was what Bella, the woman he didn't trust to go to the store unaccompanied, had told him. Why was Edward willing to trust a near-stranger over the guy who'd proved he'd laid down his life to protect Nessie? Maybe five years of being dead had scrambled his brains.

"You might be right, Edward," Bella said. "I don't think Jake is ready for battle yet. He still hasn't been able to phase."

Jacob sighed. The sun would always rise in the East and Bella would always side with Edward. Some things would never change.

"It's settled then," Edward said. "Jacob will wait here and Nahuel will come with us."

Jacob started pacing again making sure to step extra hard on the squeaky boards. Why wasn't anyone standing up to Edward? There was no way Nahuel, whose hours-long showers had probably drained Lake Michigan, was fitter for battle than him. He'd probably go running home to his aunt the second he saw Aro's crimson red eyes. Enough was enough. Jacob stomped on board three and thought long and hard about strolling into the living room. It was time for him to give those vamps a piece of his mind.

As predicted, footsteps approached. Jacob's heart skipped a beat when the scent of wildflowers and honey drifted up through the floorboards. It couldn't be, could it? Nessie hadn't come anywhere near that part of the house since Carlisle carried him up the ladder two days ago. He was beginning to think she'd forgotten about him.

The hatch swung open and Nessie scrambled through the hole carrying a picnic basket.

"Thought you might be hungry," Nessie said, flashing him one of her signature million dollar smiles. Amazing how one smile from his imprint could cause two days' worth of pent up anger to drift away.

Jacob's stomach growled. "I could eat."

Nessie sat down next to the basket crossed legged and invited Jacob to do the same. Jacob knew he was in for a rough time the second Nessie opened the basket

revealing six sandwiches and a bottle of crimson liquid. It wasn't the liquid that bothered him, he'd long ago become accustomed to the scent of blood. It was the far too sweet scent of the sandwiches that made his stomach churn.

"I made your favorite," Nessie said, offering him five of the sandwiches.

Despite his reservations, Jacob accepted the sandwiches with a smile. "Thank you. It was kind of you to make me lunch."

With Nessie watching on with eager eyes, Jacob took a big bite and tried not to gag. While he liked peanut butter, beef jerky, Doritos, and strawberry frosting on their own, they became toxic when sandwiched between two slices of raisin bread. Jacob swallowed and wondered if Jasper and Bella needed any new weapons. One bite of a "buddy sandwich" and any villain with a half a brain would think twice before returning to Chicago.

"Do you remember the first time I made these," Nessie asked. "It was that time you took me to the park."

Molars fused by the unholy concoction, Jacob nodded. He'd never forget one of the happiest days of his life. Nessie took his hand and placed it on her forehead. She showed him images of Grand Park, a small playground near the house in Oregon. It wasn't much to write home about, just a swing set and a play structure that had seen better days, but it was one of young Nessie's favorite places in the world. They spent countless blissful days there goofing off with Nessie's family and the occasional member of the pack.

"I remember the swings," Nessie said. "I was scared at first, but you promised you'd catch me if I fell." She showed him memories of shrieking as he pushed her higher and higher. "And the slide. Do you remember the day Seth went down head first?"

Jacob chuckled as Nessie showed him a memory of Leah scolding Seth at the base of the broken side. It took months for the pack to stop snickering over "Seth the Slide Slayer." Those were happy, simple times when their biggest worry was whether or not the Redskins would make it to the Superbowl. Would they ever be so happy and carefree again? Given everything he'd seen in the last few days, that seemed about as likely as Alice shopping at Walmart.

"Those were some of the happiest days of my life," Nessie continued. "I think all kids should have memories like that. When we moved here, I decided to volunteer with the Chicago Parks and Rec department. They're trying to clean up the local parks so the kids have a safe place to play." She showed him images of splintered wood and twisted metal being replaced by shiny new playground equipment.

Nessie would never cease to amaze him. Despite all she'd lost, she managed to move on and do something to help others instead of wallow in her grief. Had she been the one reduced to dust, Jacob would have spent the last five years crying and tearing up every tree in the country. She was a far better and stronger person than Jacob could ever hope to be.

"You can come along if you'd like," Nessie said. "We need all the help we can get."

Jacob grinned. "I'd love to."

While the Cullens hadn't told him to leave, his two-day stint in the attic hadn't exactly made him feel welcomed. He was glad Nessie wanted him to stick around. He wanted nothing more than to be part of her life.

"Good," Nessie said with a nod. "I love Nahuel, but he hasn't quite got the hang of power tools yet. I had one heck of a time trying how I managed to take a nail to the face and end up without a single scratch."

Jacob growled at the image of a horrified Nahuel clutching a nail gun. Accident or not, there would be hell to pay if he ever hurt Nessie again.

"I'm sure my supervisor will love to have someone who knows his way around a hammer." Nessie continued. "We were supposed to meet up today, but between the whole earthquake and billions of people coming back from the dead I imagine things will be on hold for a while."

"I'll be ready whenever you guys go back to work," Jacob promised.

He meant that promise with every cell in his body. He'd be there for Nessie as long as she'd have him, even if that meant making peace with Nahuel.

Without thinking, Jacob took another bite of his sandwich. Big mistake. He probably would have been better off ingesting glue and rusty nails.

Jacob was trying not to gag when Bella jumped up into the attic not bothering with the ladder.

"Everything okay up here?" She asked, staring at Nessie's hand on Jacob's forehead.

While he hated to do it, Jacob scooted back a few inches breaking the connection with Nessie.

"Everything is fine, Mom." Nessie snapped "I was just bringing Jacob some lunch."

Bella wrinkled her nose. "I see."

If regular human food was revolting, Jacob couldn't imagine what buddy sandwiches smelled like to vampires.

Bella looked around the attic. Her eyes widened when she noticed the stack of plastic bins marked "blankets" stacked in the corner. Jacob looked at her and shugged. He'd already gone through the boxes and found out by "blankets" the labels meant something along the lines of "things that would make Edward blow a fuse." To tell the truth, Jacob wasn't surprised. Bella fell apart when Edward broke up with her. Jacob could only imagine how she'd responded to her husband dying. It came as no shock history repeated itself and she latched onto the closest available guy. Jacob had always liked Jasper and his thrilling war stories. He hoped Jasper wouldn't be too devastated when Bella went running back to Edward.

Bella cleared her throat. "Nessie, why don't you head back downstairs. I think Nahuel is done showering now."

"But I'm not done eating yet!" Nessie exclaimed, picking up one of the deadly sandwiches.

Jacob was trying to remember the number for poison control when Emmett burst into the attic.

"Bella!" Emmett shouted. "Edward and Jasper are finally going to fight! I've got $20 on the Major kicking Edward's shiny butt all the way back to Oregon!" Emmett paused and made an exaggerated gagging sound. "What died up here?"

"Where are they?" Bella asked.

"Outside."

Jacob tensed up when he heard shouting and the sound of boulders colliding coming from the front yard. Couldn't they have waited a few days to lock horns? Aro could arrive in Chicago at any minute and they needed all hands on deck. Hands were no good if they were severed from the body.

Emmett smirked. "This is going to be even better than the time Rose smashed Edward's piano."

Bella looked over at the bins of "books" with an unreadable expression on her face. Ready or not, her secrets were no longer secrets. It was time for her to face the music. Bella took one last look at the bins, cursed under her breath, and darted out of the attic with Emmett on her heels.

"Hey Jake," Nessie said after the attic door slammed shut. "You have frosting on your face."

Jacob rubbed his left cheek. "Did I get it?"

"No. other side."

"Now you're just spreading it around," Nessie laughed, a sound that filled Jacob's entire body with warmth. "You look like that time I got into Aunt Alice's makeup!" She licked her thumb and wiped off Jacob's cheek. "There. All clean."

Jacob felt light-headed. Had anyone else done that he would have been disgusted. With Nessie, even the gross things were wonderful. He wondered what it would have felt like if it were her lips rather than her thumb pressed against his cheek. Jacob shuttered. Nessie was his best friend. She was about to get married to the love of her life. He couldn't think those kinds of thoughts. Thinking those things, or worse acting on them would earn him a one-way ticket out of Chicago. He couldn't imagine a fate worse than a life without Nessie.

Before Jacob could stop her, Nessie took a giant bite of her sandwich. She gagged and turned as pale as her parents.

"Have they always tasted like that?" Nessie asked when she was done dry heaving into the picnic basket.

Jacob shrugged. "They're not that bad."

"Liar."

Jacob didn't argue. Even Paul, a self-proclaimed garbage disposal, wouldn't come anywhere near those abominations.

Nessie wiped off her mouth and took a drink of blood. "Why did you tell me? You must have eaten hundreds of these sandwiches over the years!"

Jacob loved the furrow that formed in her brow when she was mad. He also loved how fast that furrow disappeared. Nessie wasn't one to hold a grudge. She believed every person, wolf, and vampire deserved a chance to make things right. She was like her mother in that way.

Jacob smiled at Nessie. "There's not much a wolf wouldn't do for his imprint."

Jacob clamped his hand over his mouth, but it was too late. The wolf was out of the bag. He'd just violated the number one rule Edward and Bella had for interacting with Nessie.

Nessie furrowed her brow. "Imprint?"


	19. Chapter 19

Say it!" Edward bellowed. "Say it out loud!"

"Say what?" Jasper asked, trying to no avail to calm his brother.

Edward grabbed Jasper by the shoulders and threw him against an old pine tree. No match for Jasper's marble-like body, the trunk exploded joining its six siblings in a growing pile of splinters.

Edward growled. "You know."

Jasper didn't respond. Instead, he picked up a handful of dry wood chips and touched the silver bracelet on his wrist. Five seconds. It would take him just five seconds to activate his suit and turn the pile of woods chips into a white-hot bonfire. Two seconds after that, he could have Edward tore in half and roasting like a marshmallow. He'd done the same without breaking a sweat to the only nomadic vampire who'd been stupid enough to make Chicago his new hunting grounds. It would be so easy to do the same to Edward, but Jasper knew he wouldn't. He unclenched his fist and let the wood chips fall to the ground. He wouldn't be the reason why Nessie lost her father a second time.

"I said, 'say it' !" Edward exclaimed.

"Can you be a bit more specific?" Jasper asked.

Edward growled and threw Jasper into the trunk of a gnarled old oak tree. Jasper sank to his knees. Not from hitting the tree, he'd experienced much worse, but from the force of Edward's emotions.

The last five years had exposed Jasper to thousands of people who'd been through the unimaginable. Mothers who'd outlived their children. Brides who'd said I do to a plume of dust. Doctors who'd been forced to look at a patient and decide if resources would be better spent elsewhere. Somehow, none of their anger came anywhere close to Edward's.

"You know what you did!" Edward snapped. "Admit it!"

Edward was radiating ten Chicago's worth of anger. Jasper knew he had to proceed with caution. Edward could be mad about his relationship with Bella or the Silver Bullets. If he guessed which wrong and added more fuel to the fire, Edward would go supernova.

"I'm not a mind reader, Edward," Jasper said. "You need to tell me what's wrong."

"You!" Edward said, jabbing Jasper in the chest. "You're the reason why Bella won't look me in the eye! You're the reason why she flinches when I lean in to kiss her!"

"I didn't do anything to Bella!" Jasper insisted. "I would never hurt her!"

"What about her 18th birthday!"

Jasper growled. There was no way in hell he was going back to being the family scapegoat. It was far past time for Edward to accept responsibility for the pain he'd caused Bella.

Bella's 18th birthday would forever be one of the darkest days in Cullen family history. They should have known better than to let Bella, the queen of disaster, open her own presents. One didn't need Alice's gift to know an accident was inevitable. As always, the smell of blood made Jasper's throat burn. The bloodlust coming from the others didn't exactly help matters. Despite the venom pooling in his mouth, Jasper remained still as a statue. This was Bella, Edward's mate, the girl with chocolate brown eyes who loved Jane Austen novels and rusty red trucks. Jasper would sooner light himself on fire and dive into a lake of gasoline than harm a single hair on her head. Jasper held his breath and sent out a powerful wave of calm. The others visibly relaxed. Everything seemed to be under control until it wasn't.

Jasper was about to suggest Carlisle retrieve the first aid kit when all hell broke loose. Edward lunged forward and threw Bella across the room. Instead of landing safely on the couch or one of at least two dozen decorative pillows, Bella landed on a table. Something, probably one of Alice's useless nick-nacks, carved a three-inch gash in Bella's forearm. Being in an enclosed space with a bleeding human was difficult for any vampire, doubly so if that bleeding human happened to be his singer. Jasper felt Edward's unquenchable blood lust. It was like when they were hunting dialed up to a hundred. The monster stirring inside Edward wouldn't be satisfied until there wasn't a single drop of blood left inside Bella's fragile veins. If Bella had any hope of making it to her next birthday, someone had to get her away from Edward.

Jasper lunged for Bella intending to rush her outside. He'd gladly run all the way to Brazil if it meant saving her life. Unfortunately, his intentions weren't clear to the others. Instead of going after the true threat to Bella's life, Emmett and Carlisle grabbed Jasper before he could get to Bella. No one seemed to notice the darkness in Edward's eyes as he crouched down next to Bella. As Emmett dragged him out of the room, Jasper mustered all his strength and sent out a wave of disgust. Thankfully, it worked. Edward's jaw clenched and his eyes changed back to gold. Bella's blood was no more appealing to him than swallowing a mouth full of dumpster sludge.

In the following weeks, Jasper tried to set the record straight, but no one believed him. Why would they believe the vampire who'd slain dozens of humans over their golden child? While Bella herself never held it against him, the others weren't so kind. They blamed him for Edward's decision to leave Bella behind in Forks. While nothing ever came of it, there was talk of banishing him to Alaska. Even after she was changed, Edward made sure Jasper never came within striking distance of Bella.

A few months after Edward's death, Jasper shared his side of the story with Bella. Much to his surprise, she believed him. The same thing happened when he told everything Alice had done to him behind closed doors. As time went on, Bella shared a few secrets of her own. Jasper was horrified to discover he wasn't the only Cullen silently suffering at the hands of a controlling spouse. As time went on, old wounds healed and friendship became love. The thought of anyone ever hurting Bella again filled Jasper with a level of anger no force on earth could ever hope to dampen.

"She showed me what you did!" Edward shouted. "She was screaming for you to leave her alone, but you wouldn't!"

"What are you talking about?" Jasper asked.

Jasper was baffled and slightly offended. He'd never laid a finger on Bella without a clear go-ahead.

"You were at the beach!" Edward continued. "She ran away from you. You hunted her down like an animal. You grabbed her from behind and..and..kissed her! Now I know why she'd been keeping her shield up. She's ashamed! She thinks it was her fault!"

Out of all the times for Bella's shield to slip, why did it have to be when she was thinking about their first date? Edward didn't see them splashing in the waves before the moment in question or the laughter and sand throwing after. All he saw was Bella, his one true love, being kissed by his brother.

Jasper clenched his jaw. "You don't understand. It wasn't what it looks like."

Eyes dark as night, Edward took a step forward. "Then explain it to me, _brother._ Why did you kiss my wife?"

_Because I love her. _

Edward chuckled. "Interesting. Interesting that you believe she'd ever love a monster like you."

Jasper didn't know if Edward read his mind or if he'd accidelty spoken those life-changing words out loud. Either way, the truth was out.

Edward turned away from Jasper and looked up at the house. "Maybe it wasn't your fault."

While Edward's anger seemed to be simmering down, Jasper knew better than to let his guard down. Emmett wasn't just trying to get under Edward's skin when he called him Dr. Jekyll.

"It was Black last time, but her 'personal sun' wasn't there to keep her warm this time," Edward said with venom in his voice. "I guess it was your turn to play emotional support animal." He glanced over his shoulder at Jasper. "Did you go cliff diving, ride motorcycles, or have a bonfire on the beach?"

Jasper nodded.

"Those were all things she used to do with Jacob," Edward said with a smirk.

"Can't you see what she was doing? The dog died and she used you as a bandaid."

Jasper knew about everything that happened in La Push. He knew about the ancient legends passed onto the next generation in the glow of a warm fire. He knew about cliff diving. The adrenaline rush that could only come from hurling yourself into the sea. He also knew about things Edward didn't, like how Bella got cold feet on their wedding day and contemplated running off to La Push and begging the pack to save her from the cold ones. Jasper knew those things because Bella told him. They told each other everything about their pasts, the good, the bad, and the ugly. There were no more secrets between them.

Jasper stood up and brushed the woodchips off his shirt. "It wasn't like that. Bella loves me."

"Bella thinks she loves you." Edward said, looking up at Bella's bedroom window."She came to you for support, and you used your gift to manipulate her."

Jasper couldn't help but laugh. That was rich coming from Mr. Manipulation himself. Edward was the one who made Bella's change contingent on marrying him.

Jasper readied himself for another attack as Edward turned around to face him. Much to his surprise, Edward stuck out his hand.

"Shake my hand, Jasper," Edward said firmly.

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

It had to be a trick. They'd just had one of the worst fights in Cullen history. There was no way Edward could go from 100 to 0 in two seconds flat. He was probably planning on ripping Jasper's arm off.

"This is me being the bigger man," Edward said. "I'm thanking you for protecting Bella while I was gone."

Jasper rolled his eyes. Why couldn't Edward see Bella wasn't some weak human anymore? She was a strong, brave vampire more than capable of protecting herself. She didn't need Edward, Jacob, or anyone else to treat her like a damsel in distress.

"Shake my hand, Jasper. I'm back now. She doesn't need you anymore."

Edward could hold his hand out for the rest of eternity, but Jasper would never shake it.

"Who are you to say what she does and doesn't need?"

Quick as a flash, Edward grabbed Jasper's hand and squeezed. "If you know what's good for you, you'll shake my hand and never come near my wife again."

Jasper locked eyes with Edward. "Never."

He'd never give up on the life he'd built with Bella. Not unless she sent him away. Even then, he'd always stay nearby in case she ever needed him.

Edward bared his teeth and tightened his grip. Had he been human, Jasper's bones would have been reduced to dust. Jasper growled and pulled his hand away. Enough was enough. He was tired of being pushed around by a vampire forever frozen as a moody seventeen year out. It was far past time Edward learned the hard way not to mess with the Major. Jasper wrapped his hands around Edward's neck, not hard enough to do any long term damage, but hard enough to show he meant business.

Despite the microfractures forming, Edward smiled.

"Do you know why Bella picked this house?" Edward asked.

Jasper shrugged. He'd never cared much about where they lived. He could be happy living under a bridge as long as he had his family and somewhere to hunt.

"This was my human family's house." Edward continued. "The room you sleep in, the room Bella insisted you have, is the one I slept in as a child."

Jasper froze. No. It couldn't be true. Edward was lying.

"The notches on your door frame, they're my height. One for each year until I died." Edward said. "Bella and I were going to buy this house and raise Nessie here in Chicago. We were planning on leaving on announcing the move during the next family meeting."

Could that be true? Was Bella planning on leaving? Was she exciting about leaving their family?

"Bella was so excited about raising Nessie in the best city in the world." Edward smiled and twisted the knife. "Then I died. Bella knew she couldn't raise Nessie on her own, so she went to the next best thing, you." Edward gestured to the house and surrounding woods. "All of this was meant for me, not you. You're just a second rate replacement."

Jasper's head was spinning. How could Bella have kept such a monumental secret from him?

With his opponent distracted, Edward turned the tables. He wiggled free and grabbed Jasper's neck. While it was less than pleasant to feel his trachea splintering, Jasper knew any wounds would disappear within the hour. He'd make Edward pay for the inconvenience of playing jigsaw puzzle with the pieces of his neck. He wasn't truly worried until he heard the click of a lighter behind his back.

"I'm sorry, Jasper, but you've left me no choice."


End file.
